Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes
Published on: December 24, 2014
Photo-selective chain end transformation of polyacrylate-iodide using cysteamine and its application to facile
Chen Chen1, Chen-Gang Wang, Longqiang Xiao
1Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, 637371, Singapore. agoto@ntu.edu.sg.
Abstract:
Cysteamine, which is an inexpensive and non-toxic aminothiol, was successfully employed as a photo-selective chain end transformation agent of iodo-terminated polymer chains (polymer-I). Polymer-I was selectively transformed to hydrogen-terminated (polymer-H) and thiol-terminated (polymer-SH) polymers with and without UV irradiation, respectively. This method is applicable to acrylate polymers. This photo-selective reaction offered a single-step preparation of patterned polymer brushes with SH and H chain end functionalities as a unique application.
Related Concept Videos
Polymers
Polymers
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Bacterial Transformation
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
Electron Transport Chains
The ETC is comprised of...

