Conventional polymer brushes consist of surface-grafted random coil polymers, typically synthesized via the grafting from method using a living radical polymerization technique. While successful, this technique still primarily limits the preparation of polymer brushes from vinyl-based monomers. Recently, there has been increased interest in the development of more rigid-rod character using aromatic rings in the backbone. However, synthesis of this type of polymer brush was not possible until the discovery of the chain growth condensation polymerization technique. Previously published research from our research group was the first demonstration of aromatic polyamide brushes synthesized using the chain-growth condensation technique. While these initial studies were very useful in developing a fundamental understanding of these new types of polymer brushes, they were limited to one monomer with a side chain of little practical interest.<br/>The next step is focused on creating new monomers for the preparation of aromatic polyamide brushes with side chain functionalities that will allow for rigid rod polymer brushes with new properties and lead to new applications. One of the potential applications for new aromatic polyamide brushes would be in reverse osmosis (RO) distillation membranes for water desalination. Current desalination membranes are coated with aromatic polyamides, but these membranes have problems with stability and fouling. We hypothesize that using a covalently attached aromatic polyamide brush with multiple functional groups will lead to improved stability and better antifouling properties. To obtain a polymer brush with these properties, new monomers must first be synthesized, and their polymerization behavior then explored. As such, a monomer containing a protecting group, for the secondary amide proton, and an ethylene glycol monomer were successfully synthesized and characterized. Once polymerized this protecting group can be cleaved to provide the amide proton, which will provide improved physical properties via hydrogen bonding.

Aromatic polyamide brushes: Next-generation surface coatings

2019 Spring National Meeting

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