Manipulation of surface properties using novel grafted copolymer brushes and surface initiated polymerization

The best approach to synthesizing polymeric brushes involves the synthesis of a preformed monochlorosilyl functionalized azo initiator and covalently attaching it to a variety of solid surfaces. Using normal free-radical polymerization conditions, linear chains are then grown from the surface to give the covalently attached polymer brushes with high graft densities and molecular weights. This novel surface-initiated approach has been combined with living polymerization procedures, such as ring opening and living free radical polymerization, to construct polymer brushes with a degree of control previously unobtainable.