Facile and efficient Cu(0)-mediated radical polymerisation of pentafluorophenyl methacrylate grafting from poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

Grafting polymers bearing active esters, especially pentafluorophenyl methacrylate (PFPMA), onto or from surface is a promising approach towards the preparation of highly functional materials due to the ease in post-polymerisation modification of their corresponding polymers. Herein, a handy and efficient chemical modification process is proposed to modify extreme surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films towards the final purpose of grafting PFPMA polymer from PET surface via surface-initiated Cu(0)-mediated radical polymerisation. The characteristics of modified surface were evaluated after each step using various techniques including water contact angle, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron spectroscopy. Due to its robust conditions, the proposed approach allows grafting at ease PFPMA polymer from PET supporting surface, which not only enhances the reactivity of this inert material but also improves significantly the hydrophobicity of the surface.