Following polymer brush growth using the quartz crystal microbalance technique

The growth of surface-initiated poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride) (pMETAC) brushes by ATRP was monitored by the quartz crystal microbalance technique with dissipation (QCM-D). The change in mass of the quartz crystals starting from the adsorption of a thiol initiator monolayer through to the growth of the polymer brushes was determined. The use of QCM-D allowed determination of the kinetics of polymerization from the surface. The technique can be applied to other polymers synthesised from surfaces and allows the study of varying conditions on the polymerization kinetics.