Highly-reactive haloester surface initiators for ARGET ATRP readily prepared by radio frequency glow discharge plasma

Citation

Mecwan, M. M.; Taylor, M. J.; Graham, D. J.; & Ratner, B. D. (2019). Highly-reactive haloester surface initiators for ARGET ATRP readily prepared by radio frequency glow discharge plasma. Biointerphases, 14(4).

Abstract

New surface initiators for ARGET ATRP (activators regenerated by electron transfer atomic transfer radical polymerization) have been prepared by the plasma deposition of haloester monomers. Specifically, methyl 3-bromopropionate (M3BP), methyl 2-chloropropionate, and ethyl 2-fluoropropionate (E2FP) were plasma deposited onto glass discs using RF glow discharge plasma. This technique creates surface coatings that are resistant to delamination and rich in halogen species making them good candidates for surface initiators for ARGET ATRP. Of all the plasma polymerized surface coatings, M3BP showed the highest halogen content and was able to grow 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) polymer brushes on its surface via ARGET ATRP in as little as 15min as confirmed by XPS. Surprisingly, E2FP, a fluoroester, was also able to grow HEMA polymer brushes despite fluorine being a poor leaving group for ARGET ATRP. The versatility of RF glow discharge plasma offers a clear advantage over other techniques previously used to immobilize ARGET ATRP surface initiators.

Keyword(s)

films
gold
immobilization
Kinetics
polymer brushes
self-assembled monolayers
sulfobetaine

Notes

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Times Cited:1
Cited References Count:43

Reference Type

Journal Article

Secondary Title

Biointerphases

Author(s)

Mecwan, M. M.
Taylor, M. J.
Graham, D. J.
Ratner, B. D.

Year Published

2019

Volume Number

14

Issue Number

4

ISSN/ISBN

1934-8630

DOI

10.1116/1.5110163