Electrodeposition of mixed adherent thin films of poly(ethyl acrylate) and polyacrylonitrile onto nickel

Abstract

Adherent thin polymer films have been prepared by sequential electrodeposition of ethyl acrylate (EA) and acrylonitrile (AN) onto nickel. Their composition has been studied by IR spectroscopy and time of flight -secondary ion mass spectrometry. Morphology and thickness have been analyzed by atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry, respectively, and compared to single component films of PEA and PAN. No microphase separation was detected in the mixed PEA/ PAN films. These show a granular morphology comparable to that of PAN films. The grains contain the two constitutive polymers, as confirmed by the selective thermal degradation of PEA.

Electrografting: a powerful method for surface modification

“…158 Sequential electrodeposition of ethyl acrylate (EA) and acrylonitrile (AN) onto nickel has also been achieved. 159 It should also be noted that N-vinyl-2pyrrolidone, 150,[160][161][162] methacrylonitrile, 135 and 4-vinylpyridine 158 can also be polymerised by anodic oxidation on a Pt surface. The only restriction to cathodic electrografting is that the substituent should not be reduced before the vinyl group, for examples vinylic compounds with OH groups cannot be electrografted as the proton is reduced before the vinyl group.…”

“…The main result obtained by IR is the similarity of electrografted polymers 118,123,127,158,180 to that of linear chain reference analogues 138,140 indicating that the process leads to unbranched chains. IR spectroscopy also permits observation of the signature of both polymers on the surface 159 after the sequential electrografting of ethyl acrylate and acrylonitrile. In another example, polyglycidyl methacrylate 181 and polyacrylonitrile can be observed by IR when equimolar solutions are simultaneously reduced on gold.…”

“…It shows that poly-ethylacrylate is predominant on the surface when equal concentration of ethylacrylate and acrylonitrile are sequentially electrografted. 159 STM images of N-vinylpyrrolidone were observed on HOPG by applying a +3 V bias (an anodic electrografting) on a graphite sample covered with a solution of N-vinyl-2pyrrolidone (NVP). In these images, NVP islands were observed with a nanometre scale on the graphite surface.…”

“…182 The thickness of the swollen film in a good solvent (DMF) was found to be 10 times higher than the thickness of the collapsed film in a poor solvent (ACN), in good agreement with the thickness of the film measured in the dry state (5.3 and 8.3 nm for 0.1 and 1M, respectively). The thickness of the obtained film is an important characteristic that has been measured by ellipsometry and AFM and generally ranges between 100 and 150 nm, 137,148,159 but ultrathin sub-nanometric layers have been formed with 2-butenenitrile 141 (see below).…”

Covalent Bonding of Functional Coatings on Conductive Materials: the Electrochemical Approach

“…Polymers containing hydrophilic or reactive groups such as protected carboxylic and hydroxyl groups, or epoxy groups have been electrografted [47]. Combination of two monomers, electrografted simultaneously or successively [50], is also possible to impart the surface with multifunctionality. Combination of two monomers, electrografted simultaneously or successively [50], is also possible to impart the surface with multifunctionality.…”