Nonfouling Surface Coatings Based on Poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)

Abstract

Surface fouling, i.e. the non-specific surface adhesion of proteins, bacteria and higher organisms, poses a severe problem in many areas ranging from modern diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices to food processing and food wrapping technology to corrosion prevention and marine technology. One approach to address these problems is to coat surfaces with nonfouling polymers. The properties of a new class of nonfouling polymer coatings made from poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOXA) were investigated here in comparison with the most frequently used polymer in this context, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Both polymers were side-chain grafted onto a polycationic poly-L-lysine (PLL) backbone. The PMOXA graft copolymers spontaneously self-assembled to form monolayers on negatively charged surfaces. PMOXA surface coatings were as efficient as PEG-based coatings in suppressing protein and bacterial adsorption. The minimal number of side chain monomer units per surface area that are needed to obtain fully resistant surfaces was lower though for PMOXA than for PEG graft copolymers as a result of the higher molecular weight of the PMOXA monomer unit.

Tailored Poly(2‐oxazoline) Polymer Brushes to Control Protein Adsorption and Cell Adhesion

“…Using acrylate monomers with pendant glycerol, linear oligoglycerol and dendronized glycerol groups, they presented a study of the impact of the effect of polymer brush architecture on the protein repellant properties using various proteins [fibronectin (Fn), albumin], human blood plasma, and serum. According to the earlier findings,9–13, 16, 17 lowest adsorption was found for the bottle‐brush architecture featuring oligomeric side chains. The effect of hydrophilic and flexible polymer side chains is believed to result from intermolecular interactions based on steric repulsions and entropic chain flexibility 18–20…”

Polyoxazoline Thermoresponsive Micelles as Radionuclide Delivery Systems

“…[1][2][3] Their properties range from high hydrophilicity enabling synthesis of hydrophilic water soluble biocompatible polymers with excellent antibiofouling properties (alkyl ¼ methyl or ethyl) [4] through thermal sensitivity of thermoresponsive polymers (alkyl ¼ isopropyl) [2,5] to hydrophobicity typical for hydrophobic aromatic or aliphatic polymers (substituent ¼ phenyl, butyl, nonyl etc.). [1,6] Moreover, polyoxazolines may be synthesized by controlled living cationic ring-opening polymerization with polydispersities typically below 1.3 and this method enables synthesis of block copolymers by subsequent addition of different monomers.…”

A survey of state-of-the-art surface chemistries to minimize fouling from human and animal biofluids

“…161,162 The resulting PLLg-PMOXA coatings, likewise, exhibited excellent antifouling properties against full human serum (Γ < 2 ng cm −2 ), even after repeated 15 min contact (as measured with OWLS). [160][161][162] A PMOXA copolymer variant introduced shortly after (Fig. 24B) performed as efficiently, 152,163 even following pro- longed exposure (up to 2 weeks) to simulated physiological conditions of ionic strength or/and an oxidative environment.…”