Controlled synthesis of photochromic polymer brushes by atom transfer radical polymerization

This work reports on the grafting of methyl methacrylate polymer brushes containing spirobenzopyran pendant groups from flat silica Surfaces and colloidal particles utilizing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reaction conditions were optimized with respect to the kind of surface bound initiator, the type of halide and ligand used in the catalytic complex, the presence/absence of untethered initiator, and solvent type. This enabled synthesis of coatings up to 80 +/- 3 nm thick with controlled spirobenzopyran content. While polymerization kinetics indicate the presence of chain termination reactions, the "living" character of the process is confirmed by controlled formation of block copolymer brushes. UV/vis spectroscopy was used to characterize the UV-induced isomerization of spirobenzopyran to zwitterionic merocyanine and the thermal back-reaction. Spectral and kinetic analyses of this latter bleaching process points to the existence of free and associated merocyanines in the polymeric brush in both tetrahydrofuran and toluene. However, stabilization of merocyanine species by the polymer matrix is considerably greater in toluene with thermal back-reaction rates approaching those determined for solid dry films.