Stratified Polymer Grafts: Synthesis and Characterization of Layered ‘Brush’ and ‘Gel’ Structures

Abstract

Stratified polyacrylamide films featuring polymer-brush and polymer-gel blocks are fabricated by sequential, surface-initiated, photoiniferter-mediated polymerization. Use of selective solvent mixtures during re-initiation allows the formation of well-defined brush and gel layers with graded properties. Nano-mechanical and tribological characterization by colloidal-probe AFM clarifies the architecture of each layer and determines the film properties under application of normal and lateral forces.