Reactive surface coatings based on polysilsesquioxanes: defined adjustment of surface wettability

We have investigated a generally applicable protocol for a substrate-independent reactive polymer coating that offers interesting possibilities for further molecular tailoring via simple wet chemical derivatization reactions. Poly(methylsilsesquioxane)-poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate) hybrid polymers have been synthesized by RAFT polymerization, and stable reactive surface coatings have been prepared by spin-coating on the following substrates: Si, glass, gold, PMMA, PDMS, and steel. These coatings have been used for a defined adjustment of surface wettability by surface-analogous reaction with various amines (e.g., glutamic acid to obtain hydrophilic surfaces (Theta(a) = 18 degrees) or perfluorinated amines to obtain hydrophobic surfaces (Theta(a) = 138 degrees)). Besides the successful covalent attachment of small molecules and polymers, amino-functionalized nanoparticles could also be deposited on the surface, resulting in nanostructured coatings, thereby expanding the accessible contact angle of hydrophobic surfaces further to Theta(a) = 152 degrees. The surface-analogous conversion of the reactive coating with isopropyl amine produced in situ temperature-responsive coatings. Using the presented simple, generally applicable protocol for substrate-independent reactive polymer coatings, the contact angle of water could be switched reversibly by almost 60 degrees.