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Published on: November 19, 2018
Stable protein-repellent zwitterionic polymer brushes grafted from silicon nitride
Ai T Nguyen1, Jacob Baggerman, Jos M J Paulusse
1Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University , Dreijenplein 8, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|February 5, 2011
Summary
Zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine acrylamide) brushes grafted onto silicon nitride surfaces exhibit excellent protein repellence (>99%). These durable coatings maintain their anti-fouling properties even after a week in solution, demonstrating long-term effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Silicon nitride (SixN4) surfaces are prone to protein adsorption, limiting their biomedical applications.
- Developing robust, protein-repellent surface coatings is crucial for advanced material design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To graft zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine acrylamide) (SBMAA) brushes onto SixN4 surfaces using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).
- To evaluate the protein adsorption resistance and long-term stability of these modified surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Immobilization of ATRP initiators onto SixN4 via Si-C linkages through a multi-step reaction sequence.
- Grafting of SBMAA polymer brushes using ATRP, followed by surface characterization (XPS, AFM, contact angle).
- Protein adsorption studies using fibrinogen (FIB) solution and in situ reflectometry, comparing with control surfaces.
Main Results:
- SBMAA brushes (∼30 nm thickness) were successfully grafted onto SixN4 surfaces.
- Zwitterionic coatings demonstrated excellent protein repellence (>99% against FIB) compared to control surfaces.
- The coatings remained stable and maintained high protein repellence (98%) after 1 week in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).
Conclusions:
- Zwitterionic SBMAA brushes provide highly effective and stable protein-repellent surfaces on SixN4.
- The facile preparation method and long-term stability make these coatings promising for various applications.
- The developed surfaces show significant potential for reducing non-specific protein adsorption in biomedical devices.
