Surface Engineering with Polymer Brush Photolithography

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 41; no. 18; pp. e2000177 - n/a
• Main Authors: Fromel, Michele, Li, Mingxiao, Pester, Christian W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2020
• Subjects: Brush plating; lithography; Macromolecules; photochemistry; Photolithography; photopolymerization; Polymerization; Polymers; Polystyrene resins; surfaces
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000177

Surface‐tethered macromolecules, or polymer brushes, offer a unique platform for coating surfaces for a wide variety of applications. Surface‐initiated polymerization (SI‐P), through which polymer brushes can be grown directly from an initiator‐functionalized surface, offers a facile, highly customizable approach that is synergistic with photolithography. Using a variety of photolithography devices and SI‐Ps, complex polymer brush architectures can be fabricated with great spatial and temporal control. This article not only addresses techniques, advancements, applications, and possible future directions within the field of polymer brush photolithography, but it also provides resources to assist the reader in selecting the polymerization technique and photolithography device most conducive to a given endeavor. Photopolymerizations offer many possibilities for complex surface modification. This contribution focuses on photolithography by surface‐initiated polymerization, summarizing prominent polymerization techniques and photolithography devices as well as resources for the selection of optimal conditions to meet the needs of the reader.