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Updated: Oct 23, 2025

A Simple and Efficient Protocol for the Catalytic Insertion Polymerization of Functional Norbornenes
Published on: February 27, 2017
Non-delaminating Polymer Hydrogel Coatings via C,H-Insertion Crosslinking (CHic) - A Case Study of
Esther K Riga1, Jürgen Rühe1, Karen Lienkamp1
1Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) and Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT), Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Robust, non-delaminating polymer coatings and hydrogels are needed for technical and biomedical applications. This study focusses on surface-attached poly(oxanorbornene) hydrogels obtained by simultaneous UV-activated crosslinking and surface-immobilization. The synthesis and copolymerization of two oxanorbornene monomers carrying the UV-crosslinkers malonic acid diazoester or benzophenone, which can both undergo UV-triggered C,H-insertion crosslinking (CHic), is presented. The crosslinking efficiency and network stability of hydrogels made from these self-crosslinkable polymers are studied and compared to the properties of poly(oxanorbornene) networks obtained by UV-triggered thiol-ene-reactions involving a low molecular weight crosslinker. Smooth, defect-free, non-delaminating hydrogel coatings were obtained by CHic, not only on laboratory model surfaces but also on a technical product.
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