Patent ID: 8105821

Claim:
A method of preparing an array of polymers comprising: (a) contacting a silica or other silicon oxide-containing surface of a substrate with a silanation composition that comprises a mixture of two or more silanation reagents, each comprising a trialkoxy silyl group and wherein at least one silanation reagent includes a functional group capable of supporting polymer synthesis and at least one silanation reagent includes no functional group capable of supporting polymer synthesis and the molar ratio of the silanation reagent with no functional group to the silanation reagent with a functional group is from about 50:1 to 500:1 respectively, wherein the functional group capable of supporting polymer synthesis is protected with a protecting group or the functional group capable of supporting polymer synthesis is reacted with a compound having a reactive group protected by a protecting group; (b) removing the protecting group in selected regions of the surface to provide an exposed functional or reactive group; (c) reacting said exposed group with a monomer, wherein the monomer is coupled to the exposed group; and (d) repeating the steps of removing and reacting to produce the array of polymers.