A Simple Technique To Grow Polymer Brushes Using in Situ Surface Ligation of an Organometallic Initiator

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 128 (40), 13040 -13041, 2006. 10.1021/ja064549v S0002-7863(06)04549-5
Web Release Date: September 16, 2006

A Simple Technique To Grow Polymer Brushes Using in Situ Surface Ligation of an Organometallic Initiator

Krishna D. Dronavajjala,# Ramakrishnan Rajagopalan, Sundararajan Uppili, Ayusman Sen, David L. Allara,* and Henry C. Foley*#

Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, and Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802

hcf2@psu.edu; dla3@psu.edu

Received June 27, 2006

Abstract:

A simple approach is described here for the in-place synthesis of polymer brushes by surface-initiated polymerization. A cyano-terminated self-assembled monolayer on a gold surface was used to anchor a highly active cationic Pd organometallic initiator by ligand exchange. We grew ultrasmooth patterned poly(4-methoxystyrene) brushes with excellent thickness control at room temperature.

Download the full text: PDF | HTML