Fig. 1. (a) QCM flow setup used for the in situ SI-ATRP kinetic study of HEMA polymer-brush growth in water. The black substrate in cell #1 represents the dummy sensor (ATRP-initiator-modified Si wafer, cut into the shape and size of a QCM sensor) (b) frequency changes measured in situ by QCM during SI-ATRP of 1 : 1 HEMA/water mixture at 25 °C, first without catalyst, then with catalyst, in both the absence (static) and presence (dynamic) of flow, and then without catalyst again.
