Inorganic/Organic Hybrids with Controlled Topology and Composition

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Previous research conducted under NSF support (DMR-9871450) resulted in well-defined organic/inorganic hybrid materials such as block and graft copolymers with poly(dimethylsiloxane), POSS containing homopolymers and block copolymers, and well-defined organic polymers tethered to curved and flat surfaces. These materials were prepared by controlled radical polymerization (CRP) processes, primarily using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).%%%While various methods to incorporate organic polymers to inorganic substrates have been reported, robust methods to universally incorporate well-defined (co)polymers are highly desirable. The versatility of ATRP is a significant advantage to prepare hybrids, as facile functionalization of inorganic substrates can be performed to enable introduction of well-defined (co)polymers to these materials. The potential of such an approach is far reaching to researchers involved in synthesis of polymers, colloids, nanocomposites and modification of flat surfaces. The primary strategy is to covalently bond well-defined organic homopolymer and block copolymers to inorganic substrates (i.e., polymers, particles, surfaces) enabling precise interfacial control between organic and inorganic components. In particular, block copolymers of varying composition and molar mass will be combined with inorganic substrates using CRP techniques. Hybrid nanocomposites of increasing structural complexity will be prepared by utilizing the self-assembly properties of incompatible block copolymers attached to inorganic materials.