Synthesis of oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate polymer brushes

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 41; no. 8; pp. 1757 - 1765
• Main Authors: Brown, Andrew A., Khan, Neelam S., Steinbock, Lorenz, Huck, Wilhelm T.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP); Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA); Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Protein resistance; Protein resistance; Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP); Poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA); Biological properties; Surface reaction; Graft copolymer; Liquid solid adsorption; Atom transfer polymerization; Polymer brush; Ethylene oxide copolymer; Experimental study; Protein; Macromer; Ethylene oxide polymer; Monodispersed polymer; Preparation; Silicon; Kinetics; Methacrylate copolymer; Activation energy
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2005.02.026

Here we report a study into controlling the polymerization of mono-hydroxy and mono-methoxy terminated oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylates (HOEGMA and MeOEGMA, respectively) from functionalised, planar surfaces via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The effects of initiator structure, initiator density, temperature, and monomer ratios have been investigated for these polymerizations. The polymer brushes grown in this way were found to convey protein resistance to the underlying inorganic substrates, prone to facile protein adsorption in their native state.