Tuning Molecular Interactions between Peptoids and Substrates to Achieve Surface-Agnostic Coating

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing robust, functional coatings adaptable to various surfaces is a significant challenge.
• Molecular-level control over coating properties and adhesion remains difficult to achieve.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer adaptable and stable surface-agnostic coatings (SACs) with programmable features.
• To explore the use of crystalline peptoid membranes for tunable surface modification.

Main Methods:

• Utilized surface-induced assembly and aqueous layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to form peptoid membranes.
• Applied these methods to diverse substrates including mica, HOPG, MoS2, sapphire, and porous membranes.
• Characterized coating formation using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and assessed membrane properties via moisture vapor transport measurements.

Main Results:

• Successfully formed peptoid coatings on substrates with varied chemistries and topographies.
• Observed distinct assembly behaviors across different surfaces.
• Demonstrated tunable permeance of the peptoid membranes, confirming their continuity and functionality.

Conclusions:

• Peptoid-based SACs exhibit remarkable adaptability and programmability for rational coating design.
• These findings enable the development of advanced functional interfaces, protective coatings, and membrane platforms.
• This work presents a novel approach for surface modification using crystalline peptoid membranes.