Photolabile Well‐Defined Polystyrene Grafted on Silica Nanoparticle via Nitroxide‐Mediated Polymerization (NMP)

Herein, the synthesis of a novel nitroxide‐mediated polymerization (NMP) initiator bearing a photolabile ortho‐nitrobenzyl (oNB) group allowing surface‐initiated NMP preparation of well‐defined photoresponsive polystyrene grafted on silica nanoparticles is described. The photocleavable and photoresponsive properties of the prepared materials are demonstrated using small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) characterization. The preparation of photocleavable polystyrene chains grafted on silica nanoparticles is described. The polystyrene chains are grafted using the grafting from approach via the nitroxide‐mediated polymerization technique. The photocleavable and photoresponsive properties of the prepared materials are demonstrated using UV and small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) characterizations.