1. Jan Genzer (Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering)
Genzer Research Group
How does substrate geometry affect the surface-initiated controlled polymerization?
Jan Genzer (Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering)
Objective: Investigate the effect of the substrate geometry and solution conditions on the “grafting from” polymerization from solid substrates
Methods: computer simulations
Monomers
Polymers
Polymer chain ends
good solvent
poor solvent
s=0.08
s=0.16
Findings:
In living polymerizations molecular weight polydispersity increases with increasing degree of confinement.
Confinement either due to the presence of a surface or due to poor solvent quality.
Monodisperse polymer brushes cannot be prepared by “grafting from” polymerization.
s=0.44