Growing polymer brushes from surfaces

Materials Science Surface functionalization is important in a broad range of fields. One approach involves polymer brushes, where polymer chains are grafted onto a surface. Cai et al. describe the nanoscale functionalization of surfaces by exploiting the living crystallization-driven self-assembly of polyferrocenyl-based block copolymers (see the Perspective by Presa Soto). Small crystalline cylindrical micelle seeds were attached using noncovalent bonds to a variety of surfaces, including silicon wafers, graphene oxide nanosheets, and gold. Addition of dissolved unimers over the seed-coated surfaces allowed micellar brushes to grow. Protonation and postdecoration with gold and silver nanoparticles demonstrated the applicability of such modified surfaces in catalysis, as antibacterial agents, and in separation processes. Science , this issue p. [1095][1]; see also p. [1078][2] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aax9075 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aay8350