Poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate)-based polyampholyte brush surface with carboxylic groups to improve blood...

Zwitterionic material-based polymer brush significantly prevents protein adsorption and cell adhesion, which leads to the blood compatibility. However, zwitterionic polymer itself is difficult to be modified further, for the blood compatibility since the charged balance is impaired after the modification. In this research, chemically modifiable mixed charge polymer brush is designed, without impairing its characteristics. Condensed mixed charge polymer brush will work like zwitterionic material because neighbouring opposite charge is reported to be important in the zwitterionic material. Cationic polymer brush with primary amine group, which is based on 2-aminoethyl methacrylate (AEMA), was prepared and modified by succinic anhydride to obtain carboxylic group induced poly(AEMA). The ratio of primary amine group and carboxylic group was optimized to obtain the polyampholyte brush. The blood compatibility was evaluated by measuring coagulation/complement activation, protein adsorption and cell adhesion induced by the polymer. Our designed cationic-based polyampholyte brush prevented coagulation/complement activation comparable to poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) brush, based on intra-monomer interaction, because condensed mix charge works like zwitterion.