Challenges
associated with nonspecific adsorption of proteins on
sensor surfaces have steered the development of novel antifouling
materials and strategies. Inspired by human synovial fluid composition
and structure, we designed synergistic antifouling coatings with mixtures
of hyaluronic acid (HA) and a zwitterionic bottlebrush polymer (BB).
Using a fast and convenient online surface modification method, the
polymers were immobilized on the Au surface, significantly increasing
its hydrophilicity. Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), a 10:1
ratio of HA to BB was found optimal to provide the best antifouling
performance. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption on HA-BB coated
surfaces was 0.2 ng/cm2, which was 60 times lower than
BB or HA alone and 25 times lower than the commonly accepted ultralow
adsorption limit (<5 ng/cm2), demonstrating the synergistic
effect of HA and BB against nonspecific protein adsorption. This was
found to be independent of BSA concentration up to physiological concentrations.
Furthermore, the antifouling performance of HA-BB coated surfaces
was tested against milk and serum, showing almost 92% lower protein
adsorption than that on bare surfaces, suggesting the potential efficacy
of this antifouling coating in real life settings.
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