Polyampholyte polymers are a subclass of zwitterionic materials that are composed of mixtures of charged monomer subunits. These materials have properties that mimic those of the more widely characterized zwitterionic polymers as long as their polymer chemistry has been well controlled. In particular, overall neutral polyampholyte polymers have been shown to have resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption and protein conjugation capability. This has been demonstrated for both polymer brush and hydrogel-based platforms. In this review, our recent work demonstrating these characteristics will be summarized and placed into the broader context of zwitterionic materials.
Keywords: mixed charge; multifunctional; nonfouling; polyampholytes.