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Chemisorbed poly(propylene sulphide)-based copolymers resist biomolecular interactions
J P Bearinger1, S Terrettaz, R Michel
1Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Department of Materials Science, University and ETH Zurich, CH-8044 Zurich, Switzerland.
Nature Materials
|April 12, 2003
Summary
New poly(propylene sulphide) (PPS) block copolymers offer a stable alternative for gold surface modification. These materials significantly reduce protein and cell adhesion, proving useful for biodiagnostic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Alkanethiolates are common gold surface modifiers but have limited oxidative stability.
- Developing robust and stable surface modification strategies is crucial for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate gold-chemisorbing block copolymers with enhanced oxidative stability.
- To assess the efficacy of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene sulphide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-bl-PPS-bl-PEG) in reducing biomolecular adsorption and cell adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a triblock copolymer: PEG17-bl-PPS25-bl-PEG9.
- Chemisorption of the copolymer onto gold surfaces.
- Quantification of adlayer density and thickness.
- Evaluation of oxidative stability compared to alkanethiolates.
- Assessment of protein adsorption reduction using whole blood serum.
- Measurement of cell adhesion over extended culture periods.
Main Results:
- The PEG-bl-PPS-bl-PEG copolymer formed a dense monolayer (226 +/- 26 ng cm(-2), ~2.2 nm thick).
- The copolymer adlayer exhibited superior oxidative stability compared to traditional alkanethiolates.
- Protein adsorption was reduced by over 95%, even after exposure to whole blood serum.
- Cell adhesion was reduced by over 97% during long-term cell culture.
Conclusions:
- Poly(propylene sulphide)-containing copolymers represent a more robust alternative to alkanethiolates for gold surface modification.
- PEG-bl-PPS-bl-PEG is a highly effective material for creating bio-inert surfaces.
- These copolymers show significant promise for applications in biodiagnostic and bioanalytical devices.