Design, synthesis and characterization of smart surfaces and interfaces

Abstract

Functional polymers, in the form of graft copolymers, were introduced to produce smart or stimuli-responsive surfaces and interfaces, capable of responding to changes in pH, temperature and ionic strength of the surrounding medium or environment. Thus, pH- and electrolyte-sensitive, and thermo-responsive fluoropolymer membranes was prepared by copolymerization of poly(vinylidene fluoride) with functional monomers, followed by phase inversion. A novel approach to arborescent copolymers was demonstrated in the copolymerization of poly(vinylidene fluoride) with AB*-type inimer, followed by atom transfer radical polymerization to produce the arborescent graft architecture on the membrane surface. The technique of surface functionalization via living radical polymerization was also extended to incorporate well-defined functional polymer brushes on inorganic substrates.