The synthesis and characterization of branched polymer brushes from a variety of surfaces by sequential light-mediated controlled radical polymerizations was explored. Initially, linear brushes are prepared by surface-initiated copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). In a subsequent step, the HEMA side chain groups are then functionalized with an initiating group for secondary graft polymerization leading to hierarchical architectures. The increased steric bulk of these polymer side chains results in a dramatic increase in film thickness when compared to the starting linear brushes. This allows chemical gradient and complex three-dimensional (3-D) structures based on comb-brush nanostructures to be obtained using a grayscale photomask.

Hierarchical comb brush architectures via sequential light-mediated controlled radical polymerizations

251st National Meeting (2016)

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