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Grafting Poly(OEGMA) Brushes from a Shape Memory Elastomer and Subsequent Wrinkling Behavior.
Anne-Martine S Jackson1, Sergei S Sheiko1, Valerie Sheares Ashby1
1Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|April 30, 2015
Summary
Researchers created unique, anisotropic surfaces by grafting poly(oligoethylene glycol) methacrylate (poly(OEGMA)) brushes onto shape-memory elastomers. This process generates controllable hierarchical surface structures with tunable wrinkle patterns.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Surface Engineering
Background:
- Shape memory elastomers (SMEs) offer tunable mechanical properties.
- Surface modification is crucial for advanced material functionalities.
- Controlled surface patterning is essential for various applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for creating hierarchical surface structures on shape memory elastomers.
- To investigate the formation and control of surface wrinkles and patterns.
- To graft poly(oligoethylene glycol) methacrylate (poly(OEGMA)) brushes onto an azide-functionalized SME.
Main Methods:
- Aqueous activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was employed.
- Azide-functionalized poly(octylene diazoadipate-co-octylene adipate) was used as the shape-memory substrate.
- Sequential swelling and grafting-from reactions were performed to create an incompressible brush layer.
Main Results:
- Anisotropic hierarchical surface structures with varying length scales and patterns were successfully created.
- Uniaxial wrinkles (27-33 μm) formed upon heating the SME above its transition temperature (Tm).
- Swelling equilibration and grafting reaction times were identified as key parameters to control wrinkle formation and size.
Conclusions:
- This study demonstrates a versatile method for fabricating complex surface topographies on shape memory materials.
- The developed technique allows for precise control over anisotropic hierarchical surface structures.
- The resulting surfaces hold potential for applications requiring tunable surface properties and patterns.
