Synthesis and frictional properties of poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) brush prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl methacrylate (1) was carried out from an immobilized initiator on a silicon wafer to result in a high-density polymer brush, which was converted to the hydrophilic polymer brush consisting of 2,3-dihyroxypropyl methacrylate (2) units, successively. The poly(2) brush showed low dynamic friction coefficient in water.