The present study is focused on synthesis and characterization of multilayered brush system consisting of polyglycidyl methacrylate (PGMA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) layers.  The polymer brush assembly was fabricated by grafting the polymer chains to the surface of silicon wafer in a sequential fashion.  Swelling of the system in an aqueous environment at different levels of pH and electrolyte concentration was investigated using atomic force microscopy.  It was found that one-layer PAA brush grafted to the PGMA anchoring layer had higher extension in the aqueous environment than PAA brush sandwiched between layers of PGMA. The extension of the PAA brush was restricted due to hydrophobic nature of the topmost PGMA layer.  In addition, the three layered PGMA/PAA/PGMA system demonstrated increased surface roughness when it was exposed to water.

Multilayered polymer brush system

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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