Low surface energy surfaces from self-assembly of perfluoropolymer with sticky functional groups

Fluorinated methacrylic copolymer containing catechol and perfluoroalkyl pendant side groups is synthesized by the free radical polymerization of a catechol-containing methacrylate monomer N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl methacrylamide and 1H,1H-perfluorooctyl methacrylate using alpha,alpha'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. The fluorinated copolymer can assemble onto surfaces of a wide variety of materials including Ti, Al, Cu, steel, silicon, glass, mica, polyimide, polystyrene, and polymethylmethacrylate using catechol groups as multivalent H-bonding anchors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact-angle data provide solid evidence of the formation of the assembly films that exhibit the surface free energy as low as 8.0 mJ m(-2).