Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
A simple and straightforward method for growing ultrathin, micropatterned polymer films on surfaces with precise thickness and spatial control is presented. A difunctional ene monomer and a difunctional thiol were photopolymerized on a surface terminated with thiol groups. The surface thiols participate in the polymerization, and a linear polymer is formed on the surface. Brush growth was spatially controlled by selectively polymerizing the monomers through a photomask, while the brush thickness was controlled by changing the ratio of thiol and ene monomers or by changing the monomer functionality. Further, the surface was passivated by attaching a patterned, cross-linked polymer film, which was then backfilled with another monomer, demonstrating the attachment of multiple functionalities on the surface in a controlled, photolithographically patternable manner. Thiol−ene polymerizations were carried out without an initiator and used to graft patterned, polymer films. The films were observed using scanning probe microscopy and characterized using ellipsometry.
Khire et al. (Wed,) studied this question.