On the Generation of Polyether‐Based Coatings through Photoinduced C,H Insertion Crosslinking

Abstract

In this work, the synthesis of a photoreactive polyether and its subsequent photochemical attachment to various substrates is described. Poly(bisphenol A‐co‐epichlorohydrin) is chosen as an example for a technologically important class of polymers and modified in a polymeranalogous reaction with photoreactive benzophenone units. During brief UV activation, benzophenone forms reactive intermediates, which are able to formally insert into any aliphatic C,H bond, eventually forming a crosslinked polymer film. During the formation process the emerging polyether networks additionally bind to (practically) any organic molecule present at the substrate surface. This way in one reaction step directly a surface‐attached polymer network is obtained. The examples, which are shown, include silane‐covered oxidic surfaces and unmodified polyolefins. When appropriate masks are used, brief UV irradiation is sufficient to generate crosslinked, surface‐attached polyether microstructures on a broad spectrum of substrate materials. The described strategy allows the generation of one‐component polymer coatings from standard commodity polymers under very simple process conditions, which can be lithographically structured and covalently attached to a broad spectrum of substrates, comprising even chemically rather inert materials. image