Surface modification of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films by controlled grafting polymer brushes

Controlled grafting of well-defined polymer brushes on the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films was carried out by the surface-initiated Atom Transfer Radical polymerization (ATRP). Surface-initiators were immobilized on the PVDF films by surface hydroxylation and esterification of the surface-tethered hydroxyl groups with 2-bromoisobutyrate bromide. Water contact angles on PVDF films were reduced by surface grafting of poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA). Kinetics study revealed a linear increase in the graft concentration of PMMA and PEGMA with the reaction time, indicating that the chain growth from the surface, was consistence with a "controlled" or "living" process.