Densely grafted polymer brushes, which consist of endtethered chains that are predominantly oriented perpendicular to the substrate, show a number of unique functional properties due to their highly organized structure. Controlling the stereoregularity of the main chain while maintaining a high grafting density offers further opportunities to increase the density of functional sites through the formation of cavities within the brush structure. Concentrated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) brushes with well-controlled stereoregularity and polydispersity index (PDI) were prepared on flat and spherical substrates using a surface-initiated living anionic polymerization method in the presence of triethylaluminum (AlEt 3 ). The syndiotactic PMMA brush forms with helical chains and is able to encapsulate C 60 molecules within the formed cavities.

An amphiphilic polymer bearing glutamic acid in the polymer side chain was used as a surface modifier to produce an amino acid-based zwitterionic surface with pH-responsive and selective protein properties.

High-density syndiotactic poly­(methyl methacrylate) (st-PMMA) brushes form a helical structure and encapsulate fullerene molecules in their helical cavities, leading to a PMMA brush/fullerene inclusion complex. The brushes recognize the size of guest molecules and spontaneously adapt their helical diameter to the guest molecules. Both polymer brush/C60 and polymer brush/C70 inclusion complex on the flat substrate were characterized on the basis of grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction (GIWAXD) measurements, and it is revealed that the main chains oriented perpendicular to the substrate. Moreover, high-density st-PMMA brushes grafted onto nanoparticles efficiently separate C70 molecules from the mixture of C60 and C70 solution. Even after 5× repeating process, the selectivity for C70 molecules remains at 99%.

A new photoresponsive calamitic liquid crystal molecule possessing (1-cyclohexenyl)phenyldiazene as a close analogue of azobenzene was synthesized and a comparative study with the corresponding azobenzene analogue carried out.

The effect of solvent on the polymerization of 3‐hexylthiophene with FeCl3 was evaluated using time‐dependent partial fluorescence yield X‐ray absorption fine structure measurements. FeCl3 acts as a catalyst when the reaction is performed in CHCl3, whereas it behaves as an oxidant in hexane.