“On Water” Surface‐initiated Polymerization of Hydrophobic Monomers

Abstract

AbstractWe present the “on water” surface‐initiated Cu‐mediated controlled radical polymerization (“on water” SI‐CuCRP) that converts hydrophobic monomers in aqueous reaction medium to polymer brushes at unparalleled speed and efficiency. The method allows the facile conversion of a variety of common monomers under most simple reaction conditions and with minimal monomer amounts to thick and homogeneous polymer brushes. The highly living character of the “on water” SI‐CuCRP allowed the preparation of decablock (homo)polymer brushes and opens the pathway to sequentially controlled polymer brushes on solids.