Polymer brush layers based on block copolymers of poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) were formed on silicon wafers by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization(SI-ATRP). Various bioactive molecules can be conjugated directly to the brush surfaces by reaction of PGMA epoxide groups with biomolecule amino groups, while POEGMA, which resists non-specific protein adsorption, provides an anti-fouling environment. The lengths of the blocks, and hence the thickness of the POEGMA and PGMA layers, were controlled by varying the polymerization time. Surfaces were characterized by water contact angle, ellipsometry and XPS to confirm the modification reactions. The influence of relative block thickness on protein adsorption was investigated by radiolabeling methods. Phase segregation of the copolymer segments and its effect on biomolecule (eg  lysozyme) attachment was studied using AFM. Such surfaces may be useful as biological recognition elements of high specificity for functional biomaterials.

Block copolymer modified surface for biomolecules conjugation

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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