| Abstract: | We conducted a study of the effect of solvent quality on the kinetics of formation of a layer of polymer chains tethered to a solid substrate. In these experiments, tethering was accomplished by means of chemical bond formation between reactive sites on the surface and the end‐functional groups of the polymer chains in solution. All experimental variables were held constant except for the χ‐parameter between the polymer and solvent. Variation in the χ‐parameter was achieved by use of a series of nonpolar, organic solvents. The distinct three‐regime kinetics, typical of tethering reactions run in a good solvent and in the absence of segmental adsorption, was observed over the range of values for the χ‐parameter. As expected, an increase in the χ‐parameter (a decrease in solvent quality) did result in increased tethering density, but, contrary to expectation, no increase in tethering rate was observed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5530–5537, 2004 |
