Atom-transfer radical grafting polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine from silicon wafer surfaces

Effect of Molecular Weights on Metal-Mediated Grafting of Sulfobetaine Polymers onto Solid Surfaces for Non-Biofouling Applications

The grafting of zwitterionic molecules onto solid surfaces is an important tool for decreasing the unwanted adsorption of biomolecules, such as proteins, bacteria, and cells. This has been achieved through various approaches, such as zwitterionic monolayer/multilayer formation, surface-initiated polymerization of zwitterionic monomers, and grafting of presynthesized zwitterionic polymers. Recently, a coordination-driven approach to grafting zwitterionic polymers onto solid surfaces has been discovered to be an effective method because of its versatility and robustness. However, the bacterial adhesion resistance of zwitterionic polymer grafting has been explored using only one molecular weight, and the non-biofouling performance against other fouling organisms has remained unexamined. In this study, the characteristics of coordination-driven surface zwitteration are systematically investigated. Sulfobetaine (SB) polymers with three different molecular weights are synthesized and employed for surface grafting. Polydopamine is used as a surface primer, and SB polymers are grafted onto the surfaces via the formation of metal-mediated coordinate bonds. The effect of molecular weight on the grafting efficiency and non-biofouling performance is investigated via protein adsorption and marine diatom adhesion assays. The SB polymer with a high molecular weight is found to be crucial for achieving strong resistance to protein adsorption and marine fouling.

Synthesis of a zwitterionic N-Ser-Ser-C dimethacrylate cross-linker and evaluation in polyampholyte hydrogels

Polyampholyte hydrogels are attractive materials for tissue engineering scaffolds as they offer a wide variety of features including nonfouling, selective protein delivery, and tunable physical characteristics. However, to improve the potential performance of these materials for in vivo applications, there is a need for a higher diversity of zwitterionic cross-linker species to replace commonly used ethylene glycol (EG) based chemistries. Towards this end, the synthesis of a dipeptide based zwitterionic cross-linker, N-Ser-Ser-C dimethacrylate (S-S) from N-Boc-l-serine is presented. The strategy utilized a convergent coupling of methacrylated serine partners followed by careful global deprotection to yield the zwitterionic cross-linker with good overall yields. This novel cross-linker was incorporated into a polyampholyte hydrogel and its physical properties and biocompatibility were compared against a polyampholyte hydrogel synthesized with an EG-based cross-linker. The S-S cross-linked hydrogel demonstrated excellent nonfouling performance, while promoting enhanced cellular adhesion to fibrinogen delivered from the hydrogel. Therefore, the results suggest that the S-S cross-linker will demonstrate superior future performance for in vivo applications.

Antifouling silicone hydrogel contact lenses via densely grafted phosphorylcholine polymers

Silicone hydrogel contact lenses (CLs) permit increased oxygen permeability through their incorporation of siloxane functional groups. However, contact lens biofouling can be problematic with these materials; surface modification to increase lens compatibility is necessary for acceptable properties. This work focuses on the creation of an antifouling CL surface through a novel grafting method. A polymer incorporating 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), well known for its antifouling and biomimetic properties, was grafted to the model lens surfaces using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). The SI-ATRP modification generated a unique double-grafted polymeric architecture designed to resist protein adsorption through the presence of a surrounding hydration layer due to the PC groups and steric repulsion due to the density of the grafted chains. The polymer was grafted from model silicone hydrogel CL using a four-step SI-ATRP process. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and XPS were used to confirm the surface chemical composition at each step of the synthesis. Both the surface wettability and equilibrium water content of the materials increased significantly upon polyMPC modification. The surface water contact angle was as low as 16.04 ± 2.37° for polyMPC-50 surfaces; complete wetting (∼0°) was observed for polyMPC-100 surfaces. A decrease in the protein adsorption by as much as 83% (p < 0.000 36) for lysozyme and 73% (p < 0.0076) for bovine serum albumin was observed, with no significant difference between different polyMPC chain lengths. The data demonstrate the potential of this novel modification process for the creation of extremely wettable and superior antifouling surfaces, useful for silicone hydrogel CL surfaces.

The Competition of Termination and Shielding to Evaluate the Success of Surface-Initiated Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization

One of the challenges for brush synthesis for advanced bioinspired applications using surface-initiated reversible deactivation radical polymerization (SI-RDRP) is the understanding of the relevance of confinement on the reaction probabilities and specifically the role of termination reactions. The present work puts forward a new matrix-based kinetic Monte Carlo platform with an implicit reaction scheme capable of evaluating the growth pattern of individual free and tethered chains in three-dimensional format during SI-RDRP. For illustration purposes, emphasis is on normal SI-atom transfer radical polymerization, introducing concepts such as the apparent livingness and the molecular height distribution (MHD). The former is determined based on the combination of the disturbing impact of termination (related to conventional livingness) and shielding of deactivated species (additional correction due to hindrance), and the latter allows structure-property relationships to be identified, starting at the molecular level in view of future brush characterization. It is shown that under well-defined SI-RDRP conditions the contribution of (shorter) hindered dormant chains is relevant and more pronounced for higher average initiator coverages, despite the fraction of dead chains being less. A dominance of surface-solution termination is also put forward, considering two extreme diffusion modes, i.e., translational and segmental. With the translational mode termination is largely suppressed and the living limit is mimicked, whereas with the segmental mode termination occurs more and the termination front moves upward alongside the polymer layer growth. In any case, bimodalities are established for the tethered chains both on the level of the chain length distribution and the MHD.

Radical polymerization as a versatile tool for surface grafting of thin hydrogel films

The surface of solid substrates is the main part that interacts with the environment.

Brushes, Graft Copolymers, or Bottlebrushes? The Effect of Polymer Architecture on the Nanotribological Properties of Grafted-from Assemblies

Surface-grafted polyzwitterions (PZW) have gained a foothold in the design of synthetic materials that closely mimic the lubricious properties of articular joints in mammals. Besides their chemical composition, the architecture of PZW brushes strongly determines their morphological, nanomechanical, and nanotribological characteristics. This emerges while comparing the properties of linear poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) brushes with those displayed by graft copolymer and bottlebrush brushes, either featuring a low or a high content of PMPC side chains. Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) enabled the synthesis of different branched-brush architectures from multifunctional macroinitiators via multiple grafting steps, and allowed us to modulate their structure by tuning the polymerization conditions. At relatively low grafting densities (σ), long PMPC side segments extend at the interface of bottlebrush and graft copolymer brushes, providing both morphology and lubrication properties comparable to those shown by loosely grafted, linear PMPC brushes. When σ > 0.1 chains nm^-2 the effect of the branched-brush architecture on the nanotribological properties of the films became evident. Linear PMPC brushes showed the lowest friction among the studied brush structures, with a coefficient of friction (μ) that reached 1 × 10^-4, as measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Bottlebrush brushes showed comparatively higher friction, although the high content of hydrophilic PMPC side chains along their backbone substantially improved lubrication compared to that displayed by the more sparsely substituted graft copolymer brushes.

In situ probing of switchable nanomechanical properties of responsive high-density polymer brushes on poly(dimethylsiloxane): An AFM nanoindentation approach

Nanomechanical characteristics of end grafted polymer brushes were studied by AFM based, colloidal probe nanoindentation measurements. A high-density polymer brush of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) was precisely prepared on the surface of a flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate oxidized in ultraviolet/ozone (UVO). Exposure times less than 10min resulted in laterally homogeneous oxidized surfaces, characterized by a SiO_x thickness ∼35nm and an increased modulus up to 9MPa, as shown by AFM nanoindentation measurements. We have demonstrated that a high surface density of up to ∼0.63chains/nm² of the well-defined PHEMA brushes can be grown from the surface of oxidized PDMS by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) from trimethoxysilane derivatives mixed-SAM. The reversible nanomechanical changes of PHEMA layer between extended (hydrated state) and collapsed (dehydrated state) chain upon immersing in selective and non-selective solvents were investigated by in situ AFM nanoindentation analysis in liquid environments. The elastic modulus derived from force-indentation curves obtained for swollen PHEMA grafted chains in water was estimated to be equal 2.7±0.2MPa, which is almost two orders of magnitude smaller than the modulus of dry PHEMA brush. Additionally, under cyclohexane immersion, the modulus of the PHEMA layer decreased by one order of magnitude, indicating a more compact chain packing at the PDMS surface.

Developing a thermal grafting process for zwitterionic polymers on cross-linked polyethylene with geometry-independent grafting thickness

To overcome the drawbacks of the UV grafting method, an alternative, thermal grafting process is suggested. The uniform and geometry-independent grafting of zwitterionic polymers on curved cross-linked polyethylene (CLPE), which is used in artificial hip joints, surface was successfully achieved. Poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) and poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)dimethyl(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide) (PMEDSAH) were grafted on the CLPE by two methods: a UV-based process and a thermal process. The thermal method yielded zwitterionic surfaces with similar hydrophilicities and graft layer thicknesses to those prepared via the UV grafting method. The X-ray photoelectron spectra and surface zeta potential results showed that the PMPC and PMEDSAH layers were successfully grafted onto the CLPE surface. In addition, 3-D confocal microscopy, as well as friction and wear volume tests, confirmed that there was a significant decrease in the friction coefficient and wear, which indicates that the thermal grafting method can successfully substitute the UV grafting method. The thermally grafted polymer showed uniform graft layer thickness on the curved CLPE surface, whereas the UV-grafted polymer showed a geometry-dependent heterogeneous graft layer thickness. Thus, we confirmed that the thermal grafting method is advantageous for the preparation of uniform grafting layers on artificial joint surfaces with complicated shapes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Formation of uniform grafting thickness of the zwitterionic polymers on the implant materials is a very important issue in the field of biomaterials. In this study, a thermal grafting process was developed for the formation of the uniform grafting thickness of the zwitterionic polymers on the curved cross-linked polyethylene (CLPE) surface used in artificial hip-joint. This method yielded zwitterionized CLPE surfaces with similar hydrophilicities and friction coefficient to those prepared via the UV grafting method which has been widely used process to modify the implant surfaces. Furthermore, the thermally grafted CLPE surface showed geometry-independent uniform grafting thickness on the curved CLPE surface while UV-grafted one showed uneven grafting thickness. This grafting method could help the development of complex, personalized, and biocompatible artificial liner surfaces.

Selective laser melted titanium alloys for hip implant applications: Surface modification with new method of polymer grafting

A significant number of hip replacements (HR) fail permanently despite the success of the medical procedure, due to wear and progressive loss of osseointegration of implants. An ideal model should consist of materials with a high resistance to wear and with good biocompatibility. This study aims to develop a new method of grafting the surface of selective laser melted (SLM) titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) with poly (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC), to improve the surface properties and biocompatibility of the implant. PMPC was grafted onto the SLM fabricated Ti-6Al-4V, applying the following three techniques; ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, thermal heating both under normal atmosphere and UV irradiation under N₂ gas atmosphere. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 3D optical profiler, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterise the grafted surface. Results demonstrated that a continuous PMPC layer on the Ti-6Al-4V surface was achieved using the UV irradiation under N₂ gas atmosphere technique, due to the elimination of oxygen from the system. As indicated in the results, one of the advantages of this technique is the presence of phosphorylcholine, mostly on the surface, which reveals the existence of a strong chemical bond between the grafted layer (PMPC) and substrate (Ti-6Al-4V). The nano-scratch test revealed that the PMPC grafted surface improves the mechanical strength of the surface and thus, protects the underlying implant substrate from scratching under high loads.

Polymer on Top: Current Limits and Future Perspectives of Quantitatively Evaluating Surface Grafting

Well-defined polymer strands covalently tethered onto solid substrates determine the properties of the resulting functional interface. Herein, the current approaches to determine quantitative grafting densities are assessed. Based on a brief introduction into the key theories describing polymer brush regimes, a user's guide is provided to estimating maximum chain coverage and-importantly-examine the most frequently employed approaches for determining grafting densities, i.e., dry thickness measurements, gravimetric assessment, and swelling experiments. An estimation of the reliability of these determination methods is provided via carefully evaluating their assumptions and assessing the stability of the underpinning equations. A practical access guide for comparatively and quantitatively evaluating the reliability of a given approach is thus provided, enabling the field to critically judge experimentally determined grafting densities and to avoid the reporting of grafting densities that fall outside the physically realistic parameter space. The assessment is concluded with a perspective on the development of advanced approaches for determination of grafting density, in particular, on single-chain methodologies.

Micropatterned immobilization of membrane-mimicking polymer and peptides for regulation of cell behaviors in vitro

The Ti-PDA-M/R(P) biomimetic micropattern was successfully fabricated with PMMPC-HD and GREDVY. The Ti-PDA-M/R(P) micropattern can regulate EC morphology, orientation and functions, and inhibit platelet adhesion and proliferation of SMCs.

Hybrid Model Membrane Combining Micropatterned Lipid Bilayer and Hydrophilic Polymer Brush

Substrate-supported planar lipid bilayers (SPBs) are being utilized as a versatile model system of the biological membrane. However, the proximity between the solid support and membrane limits utility of SPBs for the functional analyses of membrane proteins. Here, we present a model membrane that can enlarge the distance between the substrate surface and the membrane by combining a stable scaffold of polymerized lipid bilayer with a hydrophilic polymer brush. A micropatterned SPB was generated by the lithographic polymerization of diacetylene lipids and subsequent incorporation of natural (fluid) lipid bilayers. Hydrophilic polymer brush of poly-2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (poly(MPC)) was formed on the surface of polymeric bilayer by the in situ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in aqueous solution, in the presence of embedded fluid lipid bilayers. A model membrane protein (Haloquadratum walsbyi bacteriorhodopsin: HwBR) could be reconstituted into the polymer brush-supported bilayers with significantly reduced immobile molecules. Furthermore, the polymer brush terminals could be functionalized by successively polymerizing MPC and 2-aminoethyl methacrylate (AMA). The reactive amine moiety of poly(AMA) enables to conjugate a wide range of biological molecules and surfaces to the membrane. The combination of micropatterned bilayer and polymer brush mimics the two- and three-dimensional structures of the biological membrane, providing a platform to assay membrane proteins in a truly biomimetic environment.

Conformational Changes of a Surface-Tethered Polymer during Radical Growth Probed with Second-Harmonic Generation

The surface-induced polymerization of a chromophore-functionalized monomer was probed in situ for the first time using a nonlinear optical technique, second-harmonic generation. During the first hours of the polymerization reaction, dramatic changes in the tilt angle of the chromophore-functionalized side groups were observed. Following evaluation of the nonlinear optical data with those obtained from atomic force microscopy and ultraviolet-visible, we conclude that second-harmonic generation efficiently probes the polymerization reaction and the conformational changes of the surface-grafted polymer. With polymerization time, the conformation of the surface-tethered polymer changes from a conformation with the polymer backbone and its side groups flat on the surface, i.e., a "pancake" conformation, to a conformation where the polymer backbone is stretched away combined with tilted side groups or an enlarged tilt angle distribution, i.e., a "brush-type" conformation.

Surface-Initiated Controlled Radical Polymerization: State-of-the-Art, Opportunities, and Challenges in Surface and Interface Engineering with Polymer Brushes

The generation of polymer brushes by surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization (SI-CRP) techniques has become a powerful approach to tailor the chemical and physical properties of interfaces and has given rise to great advances in surface and interface engineering. Polymer brushes are defined as thin polymer films in which the individual polymer chains are tethered by one chain end to a solid interface. Significant advances have been made over the past years in the field of polymer brushes. This includes novel developments in SI-CRP, as well as the emergence of novel applications such as catalysis, electronics, nanomaterial synthesis and biosensing. Additionally, polymer brushes prepared via SI-CRP have been utilized to modify the surface of novel substrates such as natural fibers, polymer nanofibers, mesoporous materials, graphene, viruses and protein nanoparticles. The last years have also seen exciting advances in the chemical and physical characterization of polymer brushes, as well as an ever increasing set of computational and simulation tools that allow understanding and predictions of these surface-grafted polymer architectures. The aim of this contribution is to provide a comprehensive review that critically assesses recent advances in the field and highlights the opportunities and challenges for future work.

Photoreactive Initiator for Surface-Initiated ATRP on Versatile Polymeric Substrates

We synthesized 4-azidophenylcarbonyloxyethyl-2-bromoisobutyrate (AzEBI) for construction of a polymer brush layer on a desired area on various polymeric substrates. After 3.0 min of exposure to UV irradiation, the phenylazide groups of AzEBI decomposed and formed covalent bonds with the polymeric substrate surfaces to introduce an initiator of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reaction area of AzEBI was regulated using a photomask during photoreaction and surface initiated ATRP of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) occurred on the desired part of the surface. In the area with poly(MPC), the surface was superhydrophilic and the adhesion of HeLa cell was effectively suppressed. The AzEBI allows the construction of polymer brush layer in anywhere and would expand the potential application of ATRP to prepare polymer brush layer on polymeric substrates.

Anti-biofouling Sulfobetaine Polymer Thin Films on Silicon and Silicon Nanopore Membranes

Silicon nanopore membranes (SNM) with monodisperse pore size distributions have potential applications in bioartificial kidneys. A protein resistant thin film coating on the SNM is required to minimize biofouling and, hence, enhance the performance efficiency of SNM. In this work, a zwitterionic polymer, poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (polySBMA), was used to coat silicon and SNM substrates via a surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization method. The polySBMA-coated surfaces were characterized using contact angle goniometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ellipsometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Resistance of the coatings to protein fouling was examined by measurement of fibrinogen adsorption from fibrinogen solution and human plasma on coated silicon surfaces. Results showed that the polySBMA coating suppresses non-specific adsorption of fibrinogen. The protein-repellent property of polySBMA thin film coating is comparable to that of PEG-based coatings. Analysis of the surfaces by XPS indicated that the films remained stable when stored under physiologic conditions over a 4-week period.

Inducing Planar Orientation in Side-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Polymer Systems via Interfacial Control

For efficient photoresponses of liquid-crystal (LC) azobenzene (Az) polymer systems, planar LC orientation of the Az mesogenic group is required because the light irradiation process usually occurs with normal incidence to the film surface. However, LC molecules with a rodlike shape tend to orient perpendicularly to the film surface according to the excluded volume effect theory. This review introduces new approaches for inducing planar orientation in side-chain LC Az polymer films via interface and surface molecular designs. The planar orientation offers efficient in-plane photoalignment and photoswitching to hierarchical LC architectures from molecular LC mesogens and LC phases to mesoscopic microphase-separated structures. These approaches are expected to provide new concepts and possibilities in new LC polymer devices.

Zwitteration: coating surfaces with zwitterionic functionality to reduce nonspecific adsorption

Coating surfaces with thin or thick films of zwitterionic material is an effective way to reduce or eliminate nonspecific adsorption to the solid/liquid interface. This review tracks the various approaches to zwitteration, such as monolayer assemblies and polymeric brush coatings, on micro- to macroscopic surfaces. A critical summary of the mechanisms responsible for antifouling shows how zwitterions are ideally suited to this task.

Multifunctional polyampholyte hydrogels with fouling resistance and protein conjugation capacity

Materials that are resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption are critical in the biomedical community. Specifically, nonfouling implantable biomaterials are necessary to reduce the undesirable, but natural foreign body response. The focus of this investigation is to demonstrate that polyampholyte hydrogels prepared with equimolar quantities of positively charged [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (TMA) and negatively charged 2-carboxyethyl acrylate (CAA) monomers are a viable solution to this problem. TMA/CAA hydrogels were prepared and their physical and chemical properties were characterized. The fouling resistance of the TMA/CAA hydrogels were assessed at varying cross-linker densities using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISAs). The results clearly demonstrate that TMA/CAA hydrogels are resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption. A unique advantage of the fouling resistant TMA/CAA system is that bioactive proteins can be covalently attached to these materials using standard conjugation chemistry. This was demonstrated in this study through a combination of ELISA investigations and short-term cell adhesion assays. The multifunctional properties of the TMA/CAA polyampholyte hydrogels shown in this work clearly demonstrate the potential for these materials for use as tissue regeneration scaffolds for many biomedical applications.

Polybetaine modification of PDMS microfluidic devices to resist thrombus formation in whole blood

Assembled polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic devices were modified with a sulfobetaine polymer through continuous "tip-to-tip" modification, significantly reducing blood clotting and extending device patency under blood flow. This technology can be designed to enable the development of devices that can continuously work in whole blood, especially in an extracorporeal or in vivo environment.

Nonfouling hydrogels formed from charged monomer subunits

A critical challenge in the field of biomaterials is the often undesirable, but immediate, coating of implants with nonspecifically adsorbed proteins upon contact with bodily fluids. Prior research has shown that overall neutral materials containing a homologous arrangement of mixed charges exhibit nonfouling properties. This has been widely demonstrated for zwitterionic materials and more recently for coatings containing an equimolar mixture of positively and negatively charged monomer subunits. In this investigation it is demonstrated that nonfouling hydrogels can be formed through this approach, and the physical properties of the resulting materials are thoroughly characterized. In particular, hydrogels were formed from mixtures of [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (TM) and 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt (SA) monomers with varying concentrations of a triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) cross-linker. The swelling, weight percentage water, surface zeta potential, and compressional properties of the gels were characterized, and the nonfouling properties were demonstrated using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays for both negatively charged fibrinogen and positively charged lysozyme. The results confirm that the TM:SA hydrogel systems have nonfouling properties that are equivalent to established nonfouling controls. Additionally, even though the gels were resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption, a composition analysis suggests that there is room to further improve the nonfouling performance because there is a slight enrichment of the SA monomer relative to the TM monomer.

Cell membrane-inspired phospholipid polymers for developing medical devices with excellent biointerfaces

This review article describes fundamental aspects of cell membrane-inspired phospholipid polymers and their usefulness in the development of medical devices. Since the early 1990s, polymers composed of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) units have been considered in the preparation of biomaterials. MPC polymers can provide an artificial cell membrane structure at the surface and serve as excellent biointerfaces between artificial and biological systems. They have also been applied in the surface modification of some medical devices including long-term implantable artificial organs. An MPC polymer biointerface can suppress unfavorable biological reactions such as protein adsorption and cell adhesion - in other words, specific biomolecules immobilized on an MPC polymer surface retain their original functions. MPC polymers are also being increasingly used for creating biointerfaces with artificial cell membrane structures.

Plasma protein adsorption to zwitterionic poly (carboxybetaine methacrylate) modified surfaces: chain chemistry and end-group effects on protein adsorption kinetics, adsorbed amounts and immunoblots

Protein-surface interactions are crucial to the overall biocompatability of biomaterials, and are thought to be the impetus towards the adverse host responses such as blood coagulation and complement activation. Only a few studies hint at the ultra-low fouling potential of zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCBMA) grafted surfaces and, of those, very few systematically investigate their non-fouling behavior. In this work, single protein adsorption studies as well as protein adsorption from complex solutions (i.e. human plasma) were used to evaluate the non-fouling potential of PCBMA grafted silica wafers prepared by nitroxide-mediated free radical polymerization. PCBMAs used for surface grafting varied in charge separating spacer groups that influence the overall surface charges, and chain end-groups that influence the overall hydrophilicity, thereby, allows a better understanding of these effects towards the protein adsorption for these materials. In situ ellipsometry was used to quantify the adsorbed layer thickness and adsorption kinetics for the adsorption of four proteins from single protein buffer solutions, viz, lysozyme, α-lactalbumin, human serum albumin and fibrinogen. Total amount of protein adsorbed on surfaces differed as a function of surface properties and protein characteristics. Finally, immunoblots results showed that human plasma protein adsorption to these surfaces resulted, primarily, in the adsorption of human serum albumin, with total protein adsorbed amounts being the lowest for PCBMA-3 (TEMPO). It was apparent that surface charge and chain hydrophilicity directly influenced protein adsorption behavior of PCBMA systems and are promising materials for biomedical applications.

Layer by layer self-assembly of poly[2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl phosphorylcholine] multilayer via the ionic complexation with zirconium

Zirconium-phosphonate (Zr-P) ionic complexation chemistry is explored as a new approach to fabricate poly[2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl phosphorylcholine] (PMPC) multilayer film by layer-by-layer self-assembly method. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and optical ellipsometry measurements demonstrated that PMPC layer can be fully absorbed on each Zr(4+) layer. The thickness of the multilayer film with a good linear relationship was followed by the ellipsometry in situ adlayer characterization. The influence of pH of the PMPC and Zr(4+) solutions on the multilayer deposition were investigated by optical ellipsometry. QCM-D results indicated that the multilayer film is stable in a PBS flowing chamber at a high flow rate of 5.2×10(-3)m/s. The ellipsometry data demonstrated that 67.2% of the film still remained on the silicon wafer after being strong shaken in PBS at 80 rpm for 12h. The adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fetal bovine serum (FBS) on the PMPC surface was monitored by the QCM-D and spectroscopic ellipsometry, and the results showed the multilayer film have excellent protein resistance.

Nonfouling polyampholyte polymer brushes with protein conjugation capacity

The elimination of nonspecific protein adsorption is an important challenge in many biomaterial applications. To address this issue, numerous nonfouling chemistries have been investigated. This work reports on the dual functional properties of a polyampholyte copolymer composed of positively charged [2-(acryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethyl ammonium chloride (TMA) and negatively charged 2-carboxy ethyl acrylate (CAA) monomers. TMA:CAA copolymers have previously been shown to have nonfouling properties, but the optimal conditions for nonfouling have not been determined. To accomplish this, the thickness of the polymer brush coating was varied by manipulating the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization conditions. The nonspecific adsorption of fibrinogen and lysozyme was measured as a function of the copolymer brush thickness using a surface plasmon resonance biosensor. At the optimal thickness for nonfouling, nonspecific adsorption from 10% and 100% fetal bovine serum (FBS) was determined. The results indicate that at the optimal copolymer brush thickness, TMA:CAA polyampholyte materials have ultralow fouling characteristics even upon exposure to 100% FBS. The dual functional properties of TMA:CAA copolymers were demonstrated by conjugating fibrinogen to the copolymer brush over a range of brush thicknesses. The conjugation experiments clearly demonstrate that TMA:CAA copolymers have the capacity for protein conjugation at the optimal thickness for nonfouling. However, the conformational state of the copolymer brush chains impacts the overall conjugation capacity of the system. The results of this investigation indicate that TMA:CAA polyampholyte surfaces show promise for biosensor and biomaterial applications where their dual functional properties would be beneficial.