Surface-attached Polymer Networks

Surface-attached polymer networks are interfacial architectures that are characterized by a wide experimental variability in terms of structure, film thickness, swellability and other physical properties combined with an outstanding stability due to the crosslinking between the polymer chains within the layer and the covalent anchoring at the surface.

Surface-attached polymer network

We use a photochemical and a thermal approach to generate such layers from polymeric precursors. Some of those that can be photocrosslinked are shown in the Figure below. Using these different polymers we are able to generate hydrogel layers that are useful for lab-on-a-chip applications but also ultrahydrophobic surfaces. These two extremes illustrate the variability of the approach.

Polymers used for the preparation of surface-attached polymer networks