Hydrophobic Modification of Polymer Surfaces via “Grafting to” Approach

Polymer Brushes by the “Grafting to” Method

“…[13, [23][24][25]31,112] The PGMA layers obtained were smooth and robust, suggesting that PGMA was chemically bonded to the surface. Subsequently, grafted layers were effectively generated from this PGMA platform using both ''grafting to'' and ''grafting from'' methods.…”

“…[14,15] Other options for minimizing the excluded volume interactions, and thereby producing thicker (10-30 nm) grafted layers, are to conduct the grafting from a ''theta'' solvent [16] or from a concentrated polymer solution. [17,18] Synthesis of brushes on flat substrates, [12,[19][20][21] porous structures, [22,23] fibers/textiles, [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] and nanoparticles [28,32,33] using the ''grafting to'' procedures has been reported. In addition to synthesis of the uniform grafted layers the ''grafting to'' approach can be readily employed to synthesize patterned anchored polymer layers and brushes with variations in grafting density along a substrate ( Figure 1).…”

“…This grafting approach has also been used to attach polymers to polymeric films and fibers. Hydrophilic/polar (PAA, polyethylene imine) [23] and hydrophobic (polypentafluorostyrene) [24] polymers were attached to PET and nylon surfaces.…”

“…These coupling methods are often quite complex and specific to certain substrate/(macro) molecule combinations. If a surface that is to be modified does not possess the necessary functionalities, several methods can be utilized for initial surface functionalization, including plasma (corona, glow discharge) treatments, [9,24,40] self-assembled monolayer (SAM) deposition, [41] and chemisorption of thin layer of reactive polymers. [11,12,42] Chemical reactions utilized for the ''grafting to'' method can be classified into two major groups: approaches that are specific to or designed for a particular substrate; and approaches that are applicable to a wide range of substrates.…”

Glycidyl‐Methacrylate‐Based Electrospun Mats and Catalytic Silver Nanoparticles

“…GMA as comonomer is rather useful, since the pendant oxirane ring can be opened and a range of functionalities can be introduced to the polymer backbone. [28][29][30][31] Modification of the fiber surface with the reducing agent hydrazine provided binding sites for nucleation of metal atoms. Silver cations were reduced into metallic silver that diffused and coalesced into particles along the fiber's surface.…”