Figure 6
Modification procedure through a two-step surface-initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) of the wood cell. (a) A native wood surface possesses mainly hydroxyl groups (brown color). (b) These hydroxyl groups are engaged in the esterification with BiBB (an α-bromoisobutyril bromide), yielding the wood macroinitiator used in the second functionalization step. (c) PNIPAM chains are growing from the macroinitiator, and the polymer is finally chemically bonded to the wood structure. The estimated area of the modified cell wall cross section is indicated with green color.
