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TitleBioinspired dry adhesive: Poly(dimethylsiloxane) grafted with poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) brushes
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsChaudhary, O.J., Calius E.P., Kennedy J.V., Dickinson M., Loho T., and Travas-Sejdic J.
JournalEuropean Polymer Journal
Volume68
Pagination432 - 440
Date Published2015
ISSN00143057 (ISSN)
KeywordsAdhesion, Atom transfer radical polymerization, Attenuated total reflections, Dendrimers, Dry adhesion, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, Free radical reactions, Gel permeation chromatography, Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Grafting (chemical), Infrared spectroscopy, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Microchannels, Micromachining, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Poly (2-ethylhexyl acrylate), Polymer brushes, Polymerization, Polymers, Silicon wafers, Surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI ATRP), Surface initiated-atom transfer radical polymerization, Surface treatment
AbstractIn this report we demonstrate that modification of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surfaces with polymer brushes offers a promising route towards materials with improved, bioinspired dry adhesive surfaces. To that end, poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) brushes were grafted from PDMS surfaces by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and also on silicon wafers in the presence of a structurally similar sacrificial initiator. Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and ellipsometric studies confirmed the presence and regular growth of polymer chains both in solution and on PDMS and silicon surfaces respectively. Adhesion of the modified PDMS surfaces was tested using Hysitron TI-950 Triboindenter at indentation depths of 50-500 nm and retraction rates of 5-50 nm/s. Finally, micro-fabricated pillars (diameter = 18 μm) were grafted with the polymer brushes. All samples showed a significant increase in adhesion after grafting. Micro patterned PDMS surface has also shown a marked increase in adhesion after grafting of the polymer brushes as compared to non-grafted PDMS. © 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
URLhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84929624901&partnerID=40&md5=e4f360824a5b943f2f0f21f207c49a9a
DOI10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2015.05.016

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