Surface Characterization of Electron Irradiated Polymer Brushes

Abstract

Abstract Polymer brushes are representing a versatile tool to adjust and control surface phenomena like wetting, adsorption and adhesion. Moreover, certain complementary surface modification methods can support improving their intended applications. A promising strategy is the combination of the grafting-to method under initiator and solvent free conditions with an additional electron-beam irradiation step which can lead to polymer brushes with high-selective properties. The experiments were focused on the investigation of the surface reactions taking place during the dose-dependent irradiation of the thin polymer brush layers with the aim to modify their properties. A comprehensive and detailed study of the initiated functionalization reactions associated with their influence on the alteration of surface properties of different homo and binary polymer brush layers was performed using sensitive surface characterization techniques such as XPS, contact angle measurements, and ellipsometry.