Manufacturing of polystyrene panels with tunable colors

In this study, the synthesis of polyamine functional grafts that capable of reversible metal complexation with the transition metals has been achieved on the surface of commercial polystyrene (PS) panels. The brushes were generated via surface-initiated photo-iniferter polymerization (SI-PMP) on the active sites of PS panels. The active dithiocarbamate sites were created on the surface of the PS in four steps. First, the panels reacted with chlorosulfonic acid to obtain chlorosulfonic functionality on the surface without losing transparency. Diethanolamine was easily tethered to the surface of the PS panel from the chlorosulfonyl group. Then hydroxyl groups belonging to the diethanolamine were mesylated by methane sulfonylchloride, and resulting mesylated panels were reacted with pyridinium N,N′-diethyldithiocarbamate salt to get the dithiocarbomate functionality on the surface of the panel. After generation of the initiation sites on the panel, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was grafted via SI-PMP under UV light irradiation. The resulting PGMA brushes were converted to polyamine grafts via ring-opening reaction of epoxy groups with triethylenetetramine in a yield of 0.032 mmol amine per cm². The functional surface grafts were employed for reversible metal complex formation with metal ions. The surface topologies and functionalities of modified panels were determined with SEM, AFM and FTIR.