Bottle-brush brushes: Cylindrical molecular brushes of poly(2-oxazoline) on glassy carbon

Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Ning Zhang - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Marin Steenackers - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Robert Luxenhofer - , Technical University of Munich, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Rainer Jordan - , Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of brushes of bottle-brushes of poly(2-oxazoline)s on polished glassy carbon (GC) substrates. First, homogeneous and stable poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) (PIPOx) brush layers with thicknesses up to 160 nm were created directly onto GC by the self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP) of 2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline (IPOx). Kinetic studies reveal a linear increase in thickness with the polymerization time. In a second reaction, the pendant 2-oxazoline ring of the PIPOx brushes were used for the living cationic ring-opening polymerization (LCROP) with different substituted 2-oxazoline monomers to form the side chains. Also for the second surface-initiatedLCROPfrom the surface-bound macroinitiator brushes, the thickness increase with the polymerization time was found to be linear and reproducible. Characterization of the resulting bottle-brush brushes by FTIR spectroscopy,contact angle, and AFM indicates a high side chain grafting density and quantitative reactions. Finally, we have demonstrated the possibility of functionalizing the bottle-brush brushes side chain end groups with sterically demanding molecules.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5345-5351
Number of pages7
JournalMacromolecules
Volume42
Issue number14
Publication statusPublished - 28 Jul 2009
Peer-reviewedYes