Synthesis of surface-initiated stimuli-responsive diblock copolymer brushes utilizing a combination of ATRP and RAFT polymerization techniques

The synthesis of diblock copolymer brushes, including poly(styrene) (PSty)-b-PSty, PSty-b-poly(acrylic acid), PSty-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and poly(methyl acrylate)-b-poly(N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate), was achieved utilizing a combination of surface-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition 7 fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization techniques. Conversion of bromine end groups of homopolymer brushes formed by ATRP via a modified atom transfer addition reaction to a RAFT agent and diblock extension via RAFT polymerization allowed the direct formation of well-defined stimuli-responsive diblock copolymer brushes. The addition of sacrificial initiator and/or chain transfer agent permitted formation of well-defined diblock copolymer brushes and free polymer chains in solution. The free polymer chains were isolated and used to estimate the molecular weights and polydispersity index of chains attached to the surface. Ellipsometry, contact angle measurements, grazing angle attenuated total reflectance -Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and wide-scan X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize initiator deposition, homopolymer brush formation via ATRP, conversion to macro-RAFT agent, and diblock copolymer brush formation via RAFT polymerization. Selective solvent treatment demonstrated the stimuli-responsive nature of the diblock copolymer brushes via changes in the water contact angles and wide-scan XPS atomic percentages.