Luminescent Surface‐Tethered Polymer Brush Materials

Abstract

Surface-tethered polymers are unique molecular architectures that have been recently used in advanced sensors, electronics and biomedical applications. However, techniques for characterizing these materials in their surfacetethered form remain limited. The incorporation of luminescent functionality into these materials has enabled new characterization methods, while also unlocking new applications in optoelectronics, stenography and sensing. Micronscale photolithography techniques have recently enabled the preparation of high-resolution patterns, as well as architectures with unique photophysical properties. Herein, we provide an overview of the techniques used to prepare luminescent polymer brush materials and their applications in stimuli-responsive sensors, cell adhesion materials, and optoelectronics. We also provide our perspective on the promising future uses of surface-tethered polymers, as well as the shortterm challenges and opportunities in the field.

Visualization of the pH Response through Autofluorescent Poly(styrene-alt-N-maleimide) Polyelectrolyte Brushes

“…Using these AIEgens for the synthesis of stimuli-responsive polymer brushes may confer advanced functionalities to brush systems through visualization of conformational changes in addition to stability. 28,34 Herein, we report well-defined weak acidic PEBs with pHdependent luminescence for potential surface-based sensing devices. PEBs were prepared based on alternating copolymers of N-substituted maleimides and styrene through tailor-made maleimides to dilute charge density and adjust the distance between the charged groups and the backbone, which played an important role in stability and swelling properties.…”

Cationic bottlebrush brush polymers via sequential SI‐ROMP and SI‐ARGET‐ATRP

“…Polymer brushes are defined by their dense packing on a substrate surface 18, 19 . As a result of this close packing, these systems can exhibit behavior that differs from that of free polymers in solution 20 .…”

“…As a result of this close packing, these systems can exhibit behavior that differs from that of free polymers in solution 20 . For instance, since polymer brushes must adopt a stretched conformation, even without solvent present they provide a facile platform for sensing chemical environments 18, 21 . While free polymers in solution adopt a random‐walk configuration to maximize configurational entropy, 20 the conformation of polymer brushes and therefore their likely interaction between chains can be surmised based on their grafting densities 22–24 .…”

“…15 Polymer brushes are defined by their dense packing on a substrate surface. 18,19 As a result of this close packing, these systems can exhibit behavior that differs from that of free polymers in solution. 20 For instance, since polymer brushes must adopt a stretched conformation, even without solvent present they provide a facile platform for sensing chemical environments.…”

“…20 For instance, since polymer brushes must adopt a stretched conformation, even without solvent present they provide a facile platform for sensing chemical environments. 18,21 While free polymers in solution adopt a random-walk configuration to maximize configurational entropy, 20 the conformation of polymer brushes and therefore their likely interaction between chains can be surmised based on their grafting densities. [22][23][24] Additionally, polymer brushes can be used to enable colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles.…”