Abstract
Polymer brushes are a class of coatings consisting of end-anchored polymer chains. These brushes can be synthesized by chemically bonding entire polymer chains to a surface, or by growing the chains from initiating groups on the surface. Since they are strongly bound to the surface, brush coatings contain a high concentration of polymer even when immersed in a favorable solvent. This leads to a high osmotic pressure in the brush, which produces a range of technologically interesting properties. Proposed applications for brushes include fouling-resistant layers, surfaces with low friction and adhesion, and coatings that would increase the selectivity and absorption capacity of sensors and separation processes. Additionally, polymer molecules are generally responsive to changes in their environment, and retain this property in brush form. Polymer brushes can therefore also be employed as "smart" materials, whose properties can be switched on demand or made dependent on environmental conditions. While early polymer brush research focused on brushes in liquid environments, the use of polymer brushes in air or solvent vapors has also become a topic of interest in the last decades. Experimental studies have shown that many of the interesting properties of polymer brushes in liquid also extend to brushes in solvent vapor. However, fundamental research into vapor swelling of brushes is relatively limited. In this thesis, the validity of several simple but previously untested assumptions is examined using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations as the primary tool.
Original language | English |
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Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
Awarding Institution |
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Supervisors/Advisors |
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Award date | 12 Jun 2024 |
Place of Publication | Enschede |
Publisher | |
Print ISBNs | 978-90-365-6041-2 |
Electronic ISBNs | 978-90-365-6042-9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2024 |