Liu Yizhe, Liu Yubo, Wu Yang, Zhou Feng
State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gansu Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China.
Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing, Yantai 264006, P. R. China.
ACS Nano. 2025 Apr 1;19(12):11576-11603. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.4c18335. Epub 2025 Mar 21.
Polymer brushes, an optimal method for surface modification, have garnered significant interest due to their potential in surface wettability and functions regulation. This review summarizes the recent advancements in functional polymer brush surfaces based on surface wettability regulation. First, the fundamental structure and fabrication methods of polymer brushes, emphasizing the two primary strategies, "grafting-to" and "grafting-from", were introduced, and special attention was accorded to the method of subsurface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SSI-ATRP) for the construction of mechanically robust polymer brushes. Subsequently, we delved into the attributes of the stimuli-responsive polymer brush surface, which can effectuate reversible surface wettability transitions in response to external stimuli. Then, this review also offered an in-depth exploration of the potential applications of polymer brushes based on their surface wettability, including lubrication, drag reduction, antifouling, antifogging, anti-icing, oil-water separation, actuation, and emulsion stability. Lastly, the challenges of polymer brush surfaces encountered in practical applications, including mechanical strength, biocompatibility, recyclability, and preparation efficiency, were addressed, and significant achievements in current research were summarized and insights into future directions were offered. This review intends to provide researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the potential applications of polymer brushes based on surface wettability regulation, and with the development of the polymer brush preparation technology, it will be anticipated that they will assume increasingly pivotal roles in various fields.
聚合物刷作为一种理想的表面改性方法，因其在表面润湿性和功能调控方面的潜力而备受关注。本综述总结了基于表面润湿性调控的功能性聚合物刷表面的最新进展。首先，介绍了聚合物刷的基本结构和制备方法，重点强调了“接枝到”和“从表面接枝”这两种主要策略，并特别关注了用于构建机械性能稳定的聚合物刷的表面引发原子转移自由基聚合（SSI-ATRP）方法。随后，我们深入探讨了刺激响应型聚合物刷表面的特性，其能够响应外部刺激实现可逆的表面润湿性转变。然后，本综述还基于聚合物刷的表面润湿性对其潜在应用进行了深入探讨，包括润滑、减阻、防污、防雾、防冰、油水分离、驱动和乳液稳定性等。最后，阐述了聚合物刷表面在实际应用中遇到的挑战，包括机械强度、生物相容性、可回收性和制备效率等，并总结了当前研究的重大成果，同时对未来方向提出了见解。本综述旨在让研究人员全面了解基于表面润湿性调控的聚合物刷的潜在应用，并且随着聚合物刷制备技术的发展，预计它们将在各个领域发挥越来越关键的作用。
