Synthesis, Characterization, and Properties of ABA Type Triblock Copolymer Brushes of Styrene and Methyl Acrylate Prepared by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2002 papers

Abstract

A tethered triblock copolymer has been synthesized by sequential monomer addition to a self-assembled monolayer of (11-(2-bromo-2-methyl)propionyloxy)undecyltrichlorosilane. Si/SiO2//polystyrene-b-poly(methyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PS-b-PMA-b-PS) and Si/SiO2//PMA-b-PS-b-PMA were prepared by the “grafting from” method using atom transfer radical polymerization. The resulting triblock brushes were characterized by ATR−FTIR, water contact angles, ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Free polymer formed during the brush formation was characterized by gel permeation chromatography. Treatment of the triblock brushes with block-selective solvents caused reversible changes in the water contact angles and AFM. AFM analysis revealed a patterned nanomorphology when the brush was treated with a good solvent for the mid-block. We have interpreted this nanomorphology in terms of a folded brush structure where the two end blocks aggregate and force the mid-block to the air interface. XPS and water contact angle observations are consistent with this interpretation.

Related Papers

• → Selective modification of polylactide by introducing acrylate groups: IR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and differential thermal analysis(2016)6 cited
• → Synthesis and characterization of poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization, reverse atom transfer radical polymerization and radical polymerization(2013)12 cited
• → Atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and styrene in the presence of trolamine as a highly effective promoter(2015)8 cited
• → Evidence for organoironcarbonylate anion formation in nucleophilic addition to tetracarbonyliron complexes of acrylate esters(1980)11 cited
• Transformation of CO_2 and Ethylene to Methyl Acrylate With Molybdenum Complexes as Catalyst(2015)