Polyelectrolyte Stars and Cylindrical Brushes Made by ATRP: New Building Blocks in Nanotechnology

Abstract

Star polymers and cylindrical polymer brushes (CPBs), i.e. polymers possessing side groups densely grafted from a linear main chain, have attracted considerable experimental and theoretical interest over the past decade, owing to their peculiar solution and bulk properties. We have used the grafting-from approach via ATRP to synthesize well-defined star polymers and core—shell CPBs with homopolymer and block copolymer side chains. The diblock copolymer side chains may include combinations of soft-hard, hydrophilic-hydrophobic and crystalline-amorphous block segments. In particular, we have been interested in polyelectrolyte blocks; then the polymers resemble intramolecular spherical and cylindrical micelles, respectively. Star polymers of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (DMAEMA) were made using sugar- or silsesquioxane-based ATRP initiators. Their LCST and UCST phase behaviour depends on pH, counterion charge, temperature, and light. PDMAEMA CPBs react in a similar way, and on addition of trivalent counterions they even form helical structures. We have also synthesized hybrid nanowires of semiconducting CdS and CdSe or nanomagnets of γ-Fe2O3 inside the PAA core of CPBs. Here, we present novel water-soluble and biocompatible silica nanowires based on CPBs. They have a core consisting of a silsesquioxane network of crosslinked poly(3-acryloylpropyl trimethoxysilane) (PAPTS) and a shell of poly(oligoe-thyleneglycol methacrylate) (POEGMA). Sequential ATRP of APTS and OEGMA initiated by a polyinitiator backbone (DP = 3,200) was carried out in benzene. Due to the cylindrical shape of the brushes the functional TMS moieties were arranged into a 1D manner and then crosslinked via alkaline condensation, rendering the rigid core—shell hybrid CPBs. Finally, uniform silica nanowires were achieved by the simultaneous removal of the hybrid CPB template via pyrolysis. The length as well as the diameter of silica nanowires are well-defined.