CROSS-LINKED POLYMER BRUSHES .2. FORMATION AND PROPERTIES OF POLY(ISOBUTYL VINYL ETHER)-B-POLY[2-(VINYLOXY) ETHYL CINNAMATE] BRUSHES

A diblock copolymer, i.e., poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)-b-poly [2-(vinyloxy)ethyl cinnamate] (PIBVE-b-PVEC), has been shown to form polymer brushes quickly on the surface of solid substrates by deposition from a solvent selectively poor for PVEC. The resultant brush could be cross-linked photochemically by initiating the dimerization between VEC groups of different polymer chains and the cross-linking was extremely efficient. Crosslinked polymer brushes, as expected, were resistant to organic solvent, such as chloroform, and nitric acid attacks. Important industrial applications are expected of cross-linked brushes. (C) 1994 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.