Polyglycidol-based metal adhesion promoters.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Hydrophilic adhesion promoters are crucial for biomedical coatings, enabling strong metal-polymer interactions.
• Existing hydrophilic polymeric adhesives often rely on poly(meth-)acrylate backbones, limiting material diversity.
• There is a need for novel, non-poly(meth-)acrylate based hydrophilic adhesion promoters for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel hydrophilic adhesion promoters based on linear polyglycidol for biomedical applications.
• To develop a versatile platform technology for thin primer coatings on metal substrates.
• To evaluate the adhesion promotion capabilities of the synthesized polymers on stainless steel wires.

Main Methods:

• Polyglycidol functionalization via reaction with acryloyl chloride and phosphonoethylation.
• Chemoselective dealkylation of phosphonate groups using bromotrimethylsilane.
• Conversion to phosphonic acid via ethanolysis, followed by characterization using NMR and SEC.

Main Results:

• A three-step synthesis yielding phosphonic acid-functionalized polyglycidol was optimized.
• A one-pot reaction was established, producing an immediately usable ethanolic formulation.
• The adhesion promoters demonstrated hydrolytic instability in ambient conditions but stability in dry ethanol for at least 14 days.
• Successful application as primer coatings on stainless steel wires, verified by friction and wear resistance tests with a hydrogel top coat.

Conclusions:

• Phosphonic acid-functionalized polyglycidols represent a novel class of hydrophilic adhesion promoters for biomedical applications.
• The developed platform technology enables strong binding to metal substrates and UV-crosslinkable acrylates for enhanced coating stability.
• The materials show significant promise for improving the performance and durability of biomedical coatings on metal implants and devices.