"Grafting-from" polymerization of PMMA from stainless steel surfaces by a RAFT-mediated polymerization process.

The synthesis of grafted PMMA homopolymer films is reported using a surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization from a RAFT-agent immobilized on a silanized stainless steel surface. Therefore, stainless steel surfaces were hydroxylated with piranha solution followed by silanization with 3-aminopropylsilane (APS). The pendant primary amino groups of the cross-linked polysiloxane layer were reacted with 4-cyano-4-[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl]pentanoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester to produce a surface with covalently immobilized RAFT agents.