ma7b02575_si_001.pdf (1.4 MB)
Engineering the Surface Properties of Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Utilizing Aqueous RAFT Photografting of Acrylate/Methacrylate Monomers
journal contribution
posted on 2018-01-08, 18:09 authored by Cary A. Kuliasha, Rebecca L. Fedderwitz, Patricia R. Calvo, Brent S. Sumerlin, Anthony B. BrennanPolymeric
surface grafting offers a tunable way to control the
interfacial interactions between a material’s surface and its
environment. The ability to tailor the surface properties of poly(dimethylsiloxane)
elastomer (PDMSe) substrates with functional chemistry, wettability,
and roughness can enhance the fields of biofouling, microfluidics,
and medical implants. We developed a reversible addition–fragmentation
chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique to synthesize a host
of copolymers composed of acrylamide, acrylic acid, hydroxyethyl methacrylate,
and (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride with targetable
molecular weight from ∼5 to 80 kg/mol and low dispersity of Đ ≤ 1.13. This RAFT strategy was used in conjunction
with photografting to chemically engineer the surface of PDMSe with
hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and anionic groups. Varying grafting time
and copolymer composition allowed for targetable molecular weight,
chemical functionality, and water contact angles ranging from 112°
to 14°. These new material surfaces will be evaluated for their
antifouling and fouling release potential.