Fabrication and Impact of Fouling-Reducing Temperature-Responsive POEGMA Coatings with Embedded CaCO₃ Nanoparticles...

In the present work, we have successfully prepared and characterized novel nanocomposite material exhibiting temperature-dependent surface wettability changes, based on grafted brush coatings of non-fouling poly(di(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate) (POEGMA) with the embedded CaCO₃ nanoparticles. Grafted polymer brushes attached to the glass surface were prepared in a three-step process using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Subsequently, uniform CaCO₃ nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in POEGMA-grafted brush coatings were synthesized using biomineralized precipitation from solutions of CaCl₂ and Na₂CO₃. An impact of the low concentration of the embedded CaCO₃ NPs on cell adhesion and growth depends strongly on the type of studied cell line: keratinocytes (HaCaT), melanoma (WM35) and osteoblastic (MC3T3-e1). Based on the temperature-responsive properties of grafted brush coatings and CaCO₃ NPs acting as biologically active substrate, we hope that our research will lead to a new platform for tissue engineering with modified growth of the cells due to the release of biologically active substances from CaCO₃ NPs and the ability to detach the cells in a controlled manner using temperature-induced changes of the brush.