Photocleavable Triblock Copolymers Featuring an Activated Ester Middle Block: “One-Step” Synthesis and Application as Locally Reactive Nanoporous Thin Films
Polystyrene-block-poly(maleimide pentafluorophenyl ester-co-styrene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) with an o-nitrobenzyl ester junction was synthesized by ``one-step{''} RAFT polymerization. Highly ordered and locally reactive nanoporous thin films were obtained from the photocleavable triblock copolymer after spin coating, solvent annealing, UV exposure, and washing with methanol/water to remove the minor block PEO. The local reactivity in the thin films was demonstrated by fabrication of iron oxide nanotori after post-modification with an amino-functionalized ferrocene and treatment with oxygen plasma.