Two methods for one-point anchoring of a linear polysaccharide on a gold surface

Two strategies to achieve a one-point anchoring of a hydrolyzed pullulan (P9000) on a gold surface are compared. The first strategy consists of forming a self-assembled monolayer of a 6-amino-1-hexanethiol (AHT) and then achieving reductive amination on the surface between the aminated surface and the aldehyde of the polysaccharide reductive end sugar. The second consists of incorporating a thiol function at the extremity of the pullulan (via the same reductive amination), leading to P9000-AHT and then immobilizing it on gold by a spontaneous reaction between solid gold and thiol. The modified pullulan was characterized by NMR and size-exclusion chromatography coupled to a light-scattering detector. P9000-AHT appears to be in a disulfide dimer form in solution but recovers its unimer form with dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment. The comparison of the two strategies by contact angle and XPS revealed that the second strategy is more efficient for the pullulan one-point anchoring. P9000-AHT even in its dimer form is easily grafted onto the surface. The grafted polymer seems to be more in a coil conformation than in a rigid brush. Furthermore, QCM measurements highlighted that the second strategy leads to a grafting density of around 3.5 × 10(13) molecules·cm(-2) corresponding to a high surface coverage. The elaboration of a dense and oriented layer of polysaccharides covalently linked to a gold surface might enhance the use of such modified polysaccharides in various fields.