Temperature and pH dual-responsive POEGMA-based coatings for protein adsorption

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Surface Science

Background:

• Developing smart coatings with tunable properties is crucial for advanced applications.
• Poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)ethyl ether methacrylate) (POEGMA) is known for its stimuli-responsive behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize POEGMA246 coatings with controlled wettability and responsiveness.
• To investigate the influence of polymer concentration and environmental stimuli (temperature, pH) on coating properties and protein adsorption.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of POEGMA246 coatings via surface-initiated polymerization.
• Characterization using contact angle measurements, ellipsometry, and Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS).
• Assessment of protein adsorption using fluorescence microscopy and TOF-SIMS.

Main Results:

• POEGMA246 coatings exhibited significant thermo- and pH-responsive wettability, particularly at 30h polymerization time.
• Wettability transition from hydrated to hydrophobic states was observed with changes in pH and temperature.
• Protein adsorption decreased significantly with increasing pH and showed minimal temperature dependence.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully demonstrates the fabrication of stimuli-responsive POEGMA246 coatings.
• Tunable wettability and controlled protein adsorption can be achieved by adjusting polymer concentration and environmental conditions.
• These findings highlight the potential of POEGMA246 coatings for applications requiring specific surface interactions.