Controlled synthesis of polymer brushes by "Living" free radical polymerization techniques

The preparation of a wide variety of unique polymer brush structures can be accomplished by "living" free radical polymerization of vinyl monomers fro m surface-tethered alkoxyamines or from tethered alpha-halo esters in the p resence of (PPh3)(2)NiBr2. The use of a "living" free radical process permi ts the molecular weight and polydispersity of the covalently attached polym er chains to be accurately controlled while also allowing the formation of block copolymers by the sequential growth of monomers from the surface. The se block and random copolymer brushes have been used to control surface pro perties.