Diblock and Random Antifouling Bioactive Polymer Brushes on Gold Surfaces by Visible-Light-Induced Polymerization (SI-PET-RAFT) in Water

Surface-initiated photoinduced electron-transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-PET-RAFT) is, for the first time, used for the creation of antifouling polymer brushes on gold surfaces based on three monomers: oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MeOEGMA), N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA), and carboxybetaine methacrylamide (CBMA). These coatings are subsequently characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ellipsometry. The living nature of this polymerization allows for the creation of random and diblock copolymer brushes, which are based on HPMA (superb antifouling) and CBMA (good antifouling and functionalizable via activated ester chemistry). The polymer brushes demonstrate good antifouling properties against undiluted human serum, as monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy in real time. The amount of immobilization of bioactive moieties, here an antibody immobilized using N-succinimidyl ester-1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (NHS-EDC) coupling, in the diblock and random copolymer brushes is monitored by SPR, and is analyzed with respect to the brush structure, and is shown to be superior in the diblock copolymer brush. This approach represents a scalable, robust, mild, oxygen-tolerant, and heavy-metal-free route toward the production of antifouling and functional copolymer brushes (on gold surfaces) that open up applications in biosensing and tissue engineering.

Automated summary

Surface-initiated photoinduced electron-transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-PET-RAFT) was utilized for the first time to create antifouling polymer brushes on gold surfaces. The polymerization process allowed for the production of random and diblock copolymer brushes, demonstrating excellent antifouling properties against undiluted human serum. The amount of bioactive moiety immobilization in the polymer brushes was analyzed with respect to brush structure, showing superior results in the diblock copolymer brush. This approach provides a scalable, robust, mild, oxygen-tolerant, and heavy-metal-free method for producing antifouling and functional copolymer brushes with potential applications in biosensing and tissue engineering.