Preparation and characterization of dual-responsive spiropyran-based random copolymer brushes via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

Fabrication of a light-responsive polymer nanocomposite containing spiropyran as a sensor for reversible recognition of metal ions

Poly(spiropyran ethylacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) grafted onto the surface of modified TiO2 (TiO2-g-P(SPEA-co-GMA)) as a novel stimuli-responsive polymer was fabricated and employed as sensor for reversible recognition of metal ions.

Surface-Initiated Controlled Radical Polymerization: State-of-the-Art, Opportunities, and Challenges in Surface and Interface Engineering with Polymer Brushes

The generation of polymer brushes by surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization (SI-CRP) techniques has become a powerful approach to tailor the chemical and physical properties of interfaces and has given rise to great advances in surface and interface engineering. Polymer brushes are defined as thin polymer films in which the individual polymer chains are tethered by one chain end to a solid interface. Significant advances have been made over the past years in the field of polymer brushes. This includes novel developments in SI-CRP, as well as the emergence of novel applications such as catalysis, electronics, nanomaterial synthesis and biosensing. Additionally, polymer brushes prepared via SI-CRP have been utilized to modify the surface of novel substrates such as natural fibers, polymer nanofibers, mesoporous materials, graphene, viruses and protein nanoparticles. The last years have also seen exciting advances in the chemical and physical characterization of polymer brushes, as well as an ever increasing set of computational and simulation tools that allow understanding and predictions of these surface-grafted polymer architectures. The aim of this contribution is to provide a comprehensive review that critically assesses recent advances in the field and highlights the opportunities and challenges for future work.

Novel 'schizophrenic' diblock copolymer synthesized via RAFT polymerization: poly(2-succinyloxyethyl methacrylate)-b-poly[(N-4-vinylbenzyl),N,N-diethylamine]

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of a novel 'schizophrenic' diblock copolymer [poly(2-succinyloxyethyl methacrylate)-b-poly[(N-4-vinylbenzyl),N,N-diethylamine)]; PSEMA-b-PVEA] via reversible addition of fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique. The chemical structures of all samples as representatives were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The molecular weights of PHEMA and PVEA segments were calculated to be 9770 and 12,630 gmol-1, respectively, from 1H NMR spectroscopy. The self-assembly behavior of the synthesized PSEMA-b-PVEA diblock copolymer was investigated by means of 1H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. The average sizes of the PSEMA-b-PVEA micelles at pHs 3.0, 6.0, and 10.0 were obtained to be 294, 237, and 201 nm, respectively, from DLS analysis. The zeta potential measurements at various pHs demonstrated that the synthesized PSEMA-b-PVEA diblock copolymer has zwitterionic properties, and the range of isoelectric point's (IEP's) was determined as 5.8-7.3. It is expected that the synthesized PSEMA-b-PVEA diblock copolymer considered as a prospective candidate in nanomedicine applications such as drug delivery, mainly due to its excellent 'schizophrenic' micellization behavior.