Implant
and blood-contacting biomaterials are challenged by biofouling
and thrombus formation at their interface. Zwitterionic polymer brush
coating can achieve excellent hemocompatibility, but the preparation
often involves tedious, expensive, and complicated procedures that
are designed for specific substrates. Here, we report a facile and
universal strategy of creating zwitterionic polymer brushes on variety
of materials by polydopamine (PDA)-assisted and surface-initiated
activators regenerated by electron transfer atom-transfer radical
polymerization (PDA-SI-ARGET-ATRP). A PDA adhesive layer is first
dipcoated on a substrate, followed by covalent immobilization of 3-trimethoxysilyl
propyl 2-bromo-2-methylpropionate (SiBr, ATRP initiator) on the PDA
via condensation. Meanwhile, the trimethoxysilyl group of SiBr also
cross-links the PDA oligomers forming stabilized PDA/SiBr complex
coating. Finally, SI-ARGET-ATRP is performed in a zwitterionic monomer
solution catalyzed by the parts per million level of CuBr2 without deoxygenization. The conveniently fabricated zwitterionic
polymer brush coatings are demonstrated to have stable, ultralow fouling,
and extremely blood compatible and functionalizable characteristics.
This facile, versatile, and universal surface modification strategy
is expected to be widely applicable in various advanced biomaterials
and devices.