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Fabricating Reactive Surfaces with Brush-like and Crosslinked Films of Azlactone-Functionalized Block Co-Polymers
Published on: June 30, 2018
Photoresponsive polymer brushes for hydrophilic patterning
Andrew A Brown1, Omar Azzaroni, Wilhelm T S Huck
1Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, UK.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|January 10, 2009
Summary
This study introduces a method to create latent hydrophilic surfaces using photolabile protecting groups (PGs). UV light triggers the removal of hydrophobic PGs, revealing hydrophilic polymer surfaces with switchable wettability.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Hydrophilic surfaces are crucial for various applications, but their creation often requires complex fabrication or harsh chemicals.
- Controlling surface wettability on demand is a significant challenge in materials science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for creating switchable hydrophilic surfaces using photolabile protecting groups.
- To investigate the role of surface roughness in augmenting the wettability switch.
- To demonstrate the spatial addressability of this wettability switching system.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing hydrophobic photolabile protecting groups based on o-nitrobenzyl chemistry attached to polymer side chains.
- Employing UV light irradiation to cleave the protecting groups and induce surface transformation.
- Modifying surface roughness to enhance the wettability change.
- Investigating spatially controlled UV exposure for patterned wettability.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated the transformation of hydrophobic surfaces to hydrophilic surfaces upon UV exposure.
- Showed that increased surface roughness significantly enhances the hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic transition.
- Achieved spatially controlled wettability switching, creating defined hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions on a single surface.
Conclusions:
- Photolabile protecting groups offer an effective strategy for creating latent hydrophilic surfaces with tunable wettability.
- The developed system provides a versatile platform for applications requiring patterned or switchable surface properties.
- This technique offers a non-destructive and precise method for surface modification.
