We investigated the growth of TiO2 on poly((tetrahydropyran-2-yl N-(2-methacryloxyethyl) carbamate)-co-(methyl 4-(3-methacryloyloxypropoxy) cinnamate) (THP-polymer) using thermal heating, octyl isocyanate (OIC), and glutaraldehyde. It is found that TiO2 can be grown on surfaces terminated with ?NH2 and ?O? groups from aqueous solution. However, TiO2 did not deposit on ?CH3 terminated surfaces, due to the low surface energy of these surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis data showed that the ?THP functional group can be removed and the surface functional group converted to ?NH2 by heating the material over 180 degrees C. OIC can then be immobilized on the surface after heating, changing the surface functional group from ?NH2 to ?CH3. As TiO2 can be deposited from solution on ?NH2 terminated, but not ?CH3 terminated surfaces, THP-polymer can be used to switch the surface properties by thermal activation and subsequent reaction with OIC. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011