title: Surface-initiated, ring-opening metathesis polymerization: formation of diblock copolymer brushes and solvent-dependent morphological changes.
abstract: In this article, we report the formation of diblock copolymer brushes on a gold surface by surface-initiated, ring-opening metathesis polymerization (SI-ROMP) with the newly developed ruthenium catalyst [(H2IMes)(3-Br-py)2(Cl)2Ru=CHPh]. Taking advantage of the highly improved activity of the ruthenium catalyst and the rapid initiation step of ROMP, we successfully formed thin films of well-defined block copolymers with 5-norbornene-2-endo,3-endo-dimethanol and norbornene carboxylic acid methyl esters (44:56 endo/exo). The catalyst was found to be active enough to polymerize endo isomers of norbonene derivatives from the surface as well as to form diblock copolymer brushes. SI-ROMP of diblock copolymers from the surface was confirmed by ellipsometry, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. After the formation, the polymer-grafted substrates were immersed in various solvents, and the selective swelling characteristics of polymer brushes were investigated by atomic force microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and School of Molecular Science, Center for Molecular Design and Synthesis, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Bokyung
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Jungkyu K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Insung S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry*; D009636:Norbornanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C522238:5-norbornene-2,3-dimethanol; D004952:Esters; D009636:Norbornanes; D011108:Polymers; D012428:Ruthenium