Use of a Photocleavable Initiator to Characterize Polymer Chains Grafted onto a Metal Plate with the Grafting-from Method

The thorough characterization of polymer chains grafted through a grafting-from process onto substrates based on the determination of number (Mn) and weight (Mw) average molar masses, as well as dispersity (sic), is quite challenging. It requires the cleavage of grafted chains selectively at the polymer-substrate bond without polymer degradation to allow their analysis in solution with steric exclusion chromatography, in particular. The study herein describes a technique for the selective cleavage of PMMA grafted onto titanium substrate (Ti-PMMA) using an anchoring molecule that combines an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator and a UV-cleavable moiety. This technique allows the demonstration of the efficiency of the ATRP of PMMA on titanium substrates and verification that the chains were grown homogeneously.

Automated summary

The characterization of polymer chains grafted onto substrates is challenging and requires the selective cleavage of chains without polymer degradation for analysis. This study presents a technique for the selective cleavage of PMMA grafted onto titanium substrate using an anchoring molecule combining an ATRP initiator and a UV-cleavable moiety. The technique demonstrates the efficiency of ATRP on titanium substrates and verifies the homogeneous growth of the chains.