Surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization from polyethersulfone membranes and their use in antifouling

Abstract

AbstractA simple one-step method for the chloromethylation of polyethersulfone (PES) under mild conditions provided surface benzyl chloride groups as the active initiators for the surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to tailor the functionality of the PES membrane. Functional hydrophilic polymer brushes of poly(ethylene glycol)monomethacrylate (PEGMA) and sodium 4- styrenesulfonate (NaStS), as well as their block copolymer brushes, were prepared via surface initiated ATRP from the chloromethylated PES surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the surface-modified membranes. The PEGMA-grafted PES membranes showed great protein resistance to protein adsorption compared to the pristine PES surface.