Publication Date:
2016-09-01
Description:
A gradient self-oscillating polymer brush surface with ordered, autonomous, and unidirectional ciliary motion has been designed. The self-oscillating polymer is a random copolymer composed of N -isopropylacrylamide and ruthenium tris(2,2'-bipyridine) [Ru(bpy) 3 ], which acts as a catalyst for an oscillating chemical reaction, the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. The target polymer brush surface was designed to have a thickness gradient by using sacrificial-anode atom transfer radical polymerization. The gradient structure of the polymer brush was confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. These analyses revealed that the thickness of the polymer brush was in the range of several tens of nanometers, and the amount of Ru(bpy) 3 increased as the thickness increased. The gradient polymer brush induced a unidirectional propagation of the chemical wave from the region with small Ru(bpy) 3 amounts to the region with large Ru(bpy) 3 amounts. This spatiotemporal control of the ciliary motion would be useful in potential applications to functional surface such as autonomous mass transport systems.
Electronic ISSN:
2375-2548
Topics:
Natural Sciences in General
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