title: Entropy-Driven Conformational Control of α,ω-Difunctional Bidentate-Dithiol Azo-Based Adsorbates Enables the Fabrication of Thermally Stable Surface-Grafted Polymer Films.
abstract: Thermally stable radical initiator monolayers were prepared from uniquely designed α,ω-difunctional adsorbates with bidentate headgroups for the growth of nanoscale polymer films on metal surfaces. The length of the spacer separating the bidentate headgroups was varied to afford 4,4'-(diazene-1,2-diyl)bis(N-(16-(3,5-bis(mercaptomethyl)phenoxy)hexadecyl)-4-cyanopentanamide) (B16), 4,4'-(diazene-1,2-diyl)bis(N-(16-(3,5-bis(mercapto-methyl)phenoxy)decyl)-4-cyanopentanamide) (B10), and 4,4'-(diazene-1,2-diyl)bis(N-(4-(3,5-bis(mercaptomethyl)phenoxy)butyl)-4-cyanopentanamide) (B4). The structural features of the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) derived from B16, B10, and B4 were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ellipsometry, and polarization modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and compared to those derived from an analogous α,ω-difunctional adsorbate with monodentate headgroups, 4,4'-(diazene-1,2-diyl)bis(4-cyano-N-(16-mercaptohexadecyl)pentanamide (M). These studies demonstrate that the conformation (i.e., hairpin vs standing up) of the bidentate initiator adsorbates on gold surfaces was easily controlled by adjusting the concentration of the adsorbates in solution. The results of solution-phase thermal desorption tests revealed that the radical initiator monolayers generated from B16, B10, and B4 exhibit an enhanced thermal stability when compared to those generated from M. Furthermore, a study of the growth of polymer films was performed to evaluate the utility of these new bidentate adsorbate SAMs as film-development platforms for new functional materials and devices. Specifically, surface-grafted polystyrene films were successfully generated from SAMs derived from B16. In contrast, attempts to grow polystyrene films from SAMs derived from M under a variety of analogous conditions were unsuccessful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston , 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States.
authors.forename: Han Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston , 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Jamison
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston , 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, Texas 77204-5003, United States.
authors.forename: T Randall
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: multidentate; polymer films; radical initiator; self-assembled monolayers; surface-grafted polymerization; thermal stability