Anti-Biofouling Effect of PEG-Grafted Block Copolymer Synthesized by RAFT Polymerization

J Nanosci Nanotechnol. 2015 Oct;15(10):7866-70. doi: 10.1166/jnn.2015.11216.

Abstract

Poly(glycidyl methadrylate-block-styrene) (PGMA-b-PS), a block copolymer consisting of glycidyl methacrylate and styrene, was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer living polymerization. The synthesized PGMA-b-PS was then grafted with low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) via epoxy ring opening to give PGMA-g-PEG-b-PS, which was evaluated as an anti-biofouling coating material. As a preliminary test for the anti-biofouling effect, a protein adsorption experiment was performed on the synthesized block copolymer surface. The block copolymers were spin-coated onto silicon wafers, and protein adsorption experiments were carried out using fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate-labeled bovine serum albumin. The fluorescence intensity of the protein adsorbed on the block copolymer surface was compared with that of a polystyrene film as a reference. The synthesized PGMA-g-PEG-b-PS film showed much lower fluorescence intensity than that of the PS film.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Animals
  • Biofouling / prevention & control*
  • Cattle
  • Epoxy Compounds / chemistry*
  • Methacrylates / chemistry*
  • Propylene Glycols* / chemical synthesis
  • Propylene Glycols* / chemistry
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry*
  • Styrene / chemistry*

Substances

  • Epoxy Compounds
  • Methacrylates
  • Propylene Glycols
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Styrene
  • glycidyl methacrylate