title: A simple technique to grow polymer brushes using in situ surface ligation of an organometallic initiator.
abstract: A simple approach is described here for the in-place synthesis of polymer brushes by surface-initiated polymerization. A cyano-terminated self-assembled monolayer on a gold surface was used to anchor a highly active cationic Pd organometallic initiator by ligand exchange. We grew ultrasmooth patterned poly(4-methoxystyrene) brushes with excellent thickness control at room temperature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Krishna D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Dronavajjala
authors.forename: Ramakrishnan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajagopalan
authors.forename: Sundararajan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uppili
authors.forename: Ayusman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Allara
authors.forename: Henry C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Foley
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011137:Polystyrenes; D010165:Palladium