title: Poly(9,9-dihexylfluorene) layers grown via surface-directed Ni(0) condensation polymerization.
abstract: Poly(9,9-dihexyl fluorene) (PF) layers have been grown from modified silicon and quartz surfaces using Ni(0)-mediated coupling polymerization reactions. The surfaces were functionalized using a silane coupling reagent containing a dibromofluorene unit. 9,9-Diallyl-2,7-dibromo-9H-fluorene (1) was synthesized followed by a facile hydrosilylation with trichlorosilane yielding the desired coupling agent (3,3'-(2,7-dibromo-9H-fluorene-9,9-diyl)bis(propane-3,1-diyl))bis(trichlorosilane) (2). After treatment of the substrate surface with 2, a surface-directed polymerization of 2,7-dibromo-9,9-dihexylfluorene was performed from the functional siloxane surface to producing surfaces coated with a covalently grafted PF layer. The various surfaces were characterized using surface contact angle measurements, film thickness measurements, AFM studies, and fluorescence spectrometer measurements. This simple technique presents a novel and effective means of synthesizing a brush-like layer of a conjugated polymer on silicon and quartz substrates.
authors.affiliation: Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts-Amherst Conte Center for Polymer Research, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Sarav B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jhaveri
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Carter