The covalent grafting of polymers to the solid surface

Agata BLACHA, Katarzyna KRUKIEWICZ, Jerzy ŻAK – Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry – Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Gliwice; Poland

Please cited as: CHEMIK 2011, 65, 1, 11-19

In this literature review the processes of the solid surface grafting are presented, which lead to the creation of the molecular surface polymeric structures known as polymer brushes. This is an area of nanotechnology, which offers perspective applications in the organic electronics, medicine, transplantology, sensors. The grafting procedures described here are based on the known methods of the living polymerization that are especially useful for the controlled surface process like ATRP, ROMP and ionic polymerization. In addition, a brief review is presented in the area of the organic self assembled monolayers (SAM), which are frequently used as the structure initiating the growth of the polymer chain.

Keywords: polymer grafting, polymer brushes, electropolymerization, ATRP, ROMP, ionic polymerization, nanotechnology