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3D Printing and In Situ Surface Modification via Type I Photoinitiated Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization
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Bio-Inspired Renewable Surface-Initiated Polymerization from Permanently Embedded Initiators
Tao Du1,2, Bin Li1, Xiaolong Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|February 27, 2016
Summary
Researchers developed a new method for repeatedly modifying surfaces using polymer brushes. This technique allows for easy surface functionalization and has potential applications in microfluidics and electronics.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Surface Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Surface modification is crucial for advanced materials and devices.
- Existing methods for creating polymer brushes can be complex or limited by surface chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple and robust method for repeated surface modification with polymer brushes.
- To enable facile functionalization of various surfaces, including molded and embossed ones.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP).
- Employing an initiator-embedded polystyrene sheet that allows for repeated polymerization initiation.
- Demonstrating that polymer brushes can be removed to expose fresh initiator.
Main Results:
- Successful repeated grafting of polymer brushes on surfaces.
- The method is independent of specific surface chemistries for initiator immobilization.
- Demonstrated the ability to modify complex surface topographies.
Conclusions:
- The described SI-ATRP approach offers a versatile and repeatable strategy for polymer brush synthesis.
- This technique simplifies surface modification for applications in microfluidic devices and polymer-embedded circuits.
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