Rapid, Oxygen-Tolerant, and Versatile Synthesis of Poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl succinate) Brushes

Poly(carboxylic acid) [p(−COOH)] brushes have attracted significant attention across materials science owing to their highly tunable structures and readily modifiable chemistry. However, few reports describe an oxygen-tolerant synthesis of such brushes. Here, we present a facile, oxygen-tolerant protocol for synthesizing poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl succinate] (pMES) brushes. Three approaches─the dip, coverslip, and droplet approaches─were performed without deliberate deoxygenation, representing closed, semiopen, and open reaction systems, respectively. With the dip approach, controlled brush growth exceeding a 100 nm layer thickness was achieved within 1 h. The coverslip approach exhibited comparable brush growth kinetics, although brush-free regions appeared at the substrate edges due to oxygen diffusion. Brush formation was also demonstrated by the droplet approach but only at increased reducing agent concentrations. These results demonstrate the general and versatile applicability of our protocol for synthesizing this type of p(−COOH) brush. The ease of fabrication without requiring stringent oxygen exclusion may make them more accessible to a wider range of users in both academia and industry.