ABSTRACT
Atom transfer radical polymerisation ATRP has been applied to graft polymer chains from solid surfaces. For this purpose, new ATRP initiators have been designed which contain (i) functional sites to anchor the initiator covalently to the surface of an appropriate material, (ii) the active group which is capable to initiate the ATRP polymerisation process, and (iii) optionally a cleavable link which allows to detach the polymer grafts for polymer analysis. Surfaces have been decorated with the ATRP initiators and graft polymerisation as well as graft copolymerisation has been initiated from the surface. Grafting of various monomers, chain length and chain length distribution of the grafts is reported.
