Patterned Polymer Brushes for Directing Molecular Diffusion
Huilin Tu, Former Graduate Student in Materials Science and Engineering, and Postdoc with Braun Group
The goal of my research is to build quasi two-dimensional “smart” and stable molecular structures which confine and regulate the transport of organic molecules and inorganic ions. We use microcontact printing (μCP) and surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to create spatially defined molecular or ionic pathways from end-grafted polymer brushes (Figure 1). I characterize the polymer brushes using surface characterization techniques including ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray reflectometry, fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and etc. Diffusive transport of organic or ionic species in these polymer brushes is monitored with fluorescence techniques such as fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP).
Figure 1. Schematic of patterned polymer brushes for molecular and ionic diffusion.
Professor Paul Braun • Phone: +1.217.244.7293 • Fax: +1.217.333.2736 • Email: pbraun@illinois.edu
Department of Materials Science and Engineering • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign