Atom transfer radical polymerization directly from poly(vinylidene fluoride): Surface and antifouling properties

The direct preparation of grafting polymer brushes from commercial poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films with surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is demonstrated. The direct initiation of the secondary fluorinated site of PVDF facilitated grafting of the hydrophilic monomers from the PVDF surface. Homopolymer brushes of 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methaerylate (DMAEMA) and poly (ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA) were prepared by ATRP from the PVDF surface. The chemical composition and surface topography of the graft-functionalized PVDF surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. A kinetic study revealed a linear increase in the graft concentration of poly[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylatel (PDMAEMA) and poly[poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate] (PPEGMA) with the reaction time, indicating that the chain growth from the surface was consistent with a controlled or living process. The living chain ends were used as macroinitiators for the synthesis of diblock copolymer brushes. The water contact angles on PVDF films were reduced by the surface grafting of DMAEMA and PEGMA. Protein adsorption experiments revealed a substantial antifouling property of PPEGMA-grafted PVDF films and PDMAEMA-grafted PVDF films in comparison with the pristine PVDF surface. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.