TY - JOUR

T1 - Nanoparticles bearing germanium based photoinitiators at their surface: Preparation and use in grafting-from photopolymerization reactions

AU - Müller, Matthias

AU - Drusgala, Manfred

AU - Fischer, Roland C.

AU - Kern, Wolfgang

AU - Haas, Michael

AU - Bandl, Christine

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

PY - 2024/4/2

Y1 - 2024/4/2

N2 - In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in surface modifications utilizing “grafting-from” techniques within both industrial and academic fields. Among others, this technology continues to drive innovation in biomedicine, enabling the design and fabrication of advanced materials and devices with tailored properties for a wide range of applications, from regenerative medicine and drug delivery to diagnostics and therapeutics. This strategy relies on the covalent attachment of (photo)initiating species to surfaces. The coupled initiators are exploited to produce reactive sites such as radicals upon exposure to heat or light. Subsequently, polymerization reactions are induced, leading to surface coupled polymer brushes. In order to provide new perspectives in surface modification techniques, we present a novel and unique method for producing mesoporous organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles via the “grafting-from” method. This was accomplished by immobilizing a novel, low-toxic and visible light sensitive photoinitiator (based on triacylgermanium moieties) onto silica nanoparticles. Surface-initiated photopolymerizations of styrene and acrylate monomers were conducted to produce polymer shells on the surface of the nanoparticles. The grafted layers had a thickness in the range of 6–12 nm. Furthermore, the polymer grafting density is discussed in detail ranging between 0.17 and 0.23 chains per square nanometer.

AB - In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in surface modifications utilizing “grafting-from” techniques within both industrial and academic fields. Among others, this technology continues to drive innovation in biomedicine, enabling the design and fabrication of advanced materials and devices with tailored properties for a wide range of applications, from regenerative medicine and drug delivery to diagnostics and therapeutics. This strategy relies on the covalent attachment of (photo)initiating species to surfaces. The coupled initiators are exploited to produce reactive sites such as radicals upon exposure to heat or light. Subsequently, polymerization reactions are induced, leading to surface coupled polymer brushes. In order to provide new perspectives in surface modification techniques, we present a novel and unique method for producing mesoporous organic/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles via the “grafting-from” method. This was accomplished by immobilizing a novel, low-toxic and visible light sensitive photoinitiator (based on triacylgermanium moieties) onto silica nanoparticles. Surface-initiated photopolymerizations of styrene and acrylate monomers were conducted to produce polymer shells on the surface of the nanoparticles. The grafted layers had a thickness in the range of 6–12 nm. Furthermore, the polymer grafting density is discussed in detail ranging between 0.17 and 0.23 chains per square nanometer.

KW - Germanium-based photoinitiators

KW - Initiator immobilization

KW - Low-toxic initiators

KW - Organic–inorganic hybrid materials

KW - Polymeric shell

KW - Silica nanoparticle modification

KW - Surface-initiated photopolymerization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190160412&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.160035

DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.160035

M3 - Article

VL - 661.2024

JO - Applied surface science

JF - Applied surface science

SN - 0169-4332

IS - 15 July

M1 - 160035

ER -