Polymer brush growth. For ARGET-ATRP of PSPMA, a solution of CuBr2 (7 mg, 0.03 mmol), bpy (46.85 mg, 0.3 mmol), SPMA (6.65 g, 27 mmol) in 10 mL 1:1 H2O:EtOH was degassed via Ar bubbling for 30 min. Ascorbic acid (80 mg, 0.45 mmol) and KCl (33.3 mg, 0.28 mmol) were then added and further degassed for 15 min. Substrates were placed in a 24-multiwell plate prior to injection of 1 mL polymerisation solution. The polymerisation reaction was left to proceed without use of inert atmosphere, and stopped at desired time points (from 0.5 to 120 min) through dilution with deionised water. Brush-functionalised substrates were washed with ethanol, dried with a N2 stream, and characterised by ellipsometry.