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PMMA Brushes Prepared in an Ionic Liquid
Author(s) -
Nett Sebastian K.,
Kircher Gunnar,
Gutmann Jochen S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200900060
Subject(s) - hexafluorophosphate , ionic liquid , atom transfer radical polymerization , brush , polymer brush , polymer chemistry , polymer , materials science , polymerization , chemical engineering , silicon , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering , metallurgy
In this report, we show the synthesis of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) brushes in the room temperature ionic liquid (IL) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Bmim][PF6]). The brushes were prepared on functionalized silicon by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Kinetic study of the ATRP process identified linear and dense brush growth up to thicknesses of 8.3 nm. We used the negligible vapor pressure of the IL as an advantage to prepare polymer brush coatings not only on substrates immersed in the reaction solution, but also in the confined geometry of a “micro” droplet. The living character of the ATRP synthesis supported this method because sequential addition of MMA to the microdroplet increased the brush thickness.