Polymer brushes: Synthesis, characterization, properties and applications

Polymer brushes are thin polymer films in which the individual polymer chains are tethered by one chain end to a solid interface. The bulk and solution properties of these highly branched polymers are very different from their linear analogs of comparable molar mass. These polymers exhibit some remarkable characteristics and properties that are unattainable by other architecture of polymer. Owing to these remarkable characteristics, the interest in polymer brushes has been developed from their significance in various fields, such as controlled drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering, imaging and notably to the design of stimuli-responsive materials where the length, composition, architecture and topology of the chains allow changes in different environments. The generation of polymer brushes by surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization (CRP) methods has become a robust approach to tailor the chemical and physical properties of interfaces and has given rise to great innovations in surface and interface engineering. This review article will first present a thorough summary of the synthetic strategies towards polymer brushes, then review the different synthesis and characterization methods of polymer brushes followed by their fascinating properties, and lastly summarize promising applications of polymer brushes. The goal of this contribution is to offer a comprehensive review that critically assesses recent advances in the field and emphasizes the prospects and challenges for future work.