TY  - JOUR
A1  - Lomadze, Nino
A1  - Kopyshev, Alexey
A1  - Rühe, Jürgen
A1  - Santer, Svetlana
T1  - Light-Induced chain scission in photosensitive polymer brushes
T2  - Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society
N2  - We report on a process inducing photomechanical fracture of chemical bonds in photosensitive PMAA polymer brushes. The photosensitive PMAA polymer brushes were prepared by covalent attachment of azobenzene groups to poly(methylacrylic acid) (PMAA) chains generated by surface-initiated polymerization. While homogeneous irradiation leaves the polymer topography unchanged, the azo-PMAA brushes show a strong response upon irradiation with UV interference patterns. The photoisomerization process in the surface-attached polymer films results in the irreversible formation of surface relief gratings (SRG), which are strongly enhanced upon washing with a good solvent for the polymer. The photomechanical forces during mass transport induced by the irradiation lead to the scission of covalent bounds and accordingly to a degrafting of the polymer chains in areas where the polymer is receding from. It is observed that the number of ruptured chains depends strongly on the amount of azo side chains in the polymer.
Y1  - 2011
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/36598
SN  - 0024-9297
VL  - 44
IS  - 18
SP  - 7372
EP  - 7377
PB  - American Chemical Society
CY  - Washington
ER  -