Counterpropagating Gradients of Antibacterial and Antifouling Polymer Brushes

AbstractWe investigated the interplay between different mechanisms of the lateral and vertical segregation in the synthesized via “grafting from” approach symmetric A/B (where A and B are poly(styrene-co-2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorostyrene) and poly(methylmethacrylate), respectively) polymer brushes upon exposure to different solvents. We used X-ray photoemission electron spectroscopy and microscopy (X-PEEM), AFM, water contact angle measurements, and oxygen plasma etching to study morphology of the brushes. The ripple morphology after toluene (nonselective solvent) revealed elongated lamellar-like domains of A and B polymers alternating across the surface. The dimple-A morphology consisting of round clusters of the polymer A was observed after acetone (selective solvent for B). The top layer was enriched with the polymer B showing that the brush underwent both the lateral and vertical phase segregation. A qualitative agreement with predictions of SCF theory was found.

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Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Mesoporous Membranes and Effect of Molecular Architecture on Thermo- and pH-Responsive Behavior of the grafted Block Copolymer brushes

10.26434/chemrxiv.7037699 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Yanchun Tang ◽

Kohzo Ito ◽

Hideaki Yokoyama

Keyword(s):

Polymer Brushes ◽

Diblock Copolymers ◽

Neutron Reflectivity ◽

Molecular Architecture ◽

Stimuli Responsive ◽

Responsive Polymer ◽

The Matrix ◽

Stable Part ◽

Copolymer Brushes ◽

Mesoporous Membranes

In this study, we prepared ultrafiltration membranes with a decoupled responses of filtration property to temperature and pH. The membrane preparation method was developed based on our previous work. We utilized methanol-supercritical carbon dioxide (methanol-scCO2) selective swelling method to introduce nanopores to block copolymers containing poly(diethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PMEO2MA), poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) and polystyrene (PS) blocks. Formation of the mesoporous barrier layer with PS being the mechanically stable part of the matrix was driven by selective swelling of the PMEO2MA-b-PDMAEMA domains. Due to the selective swelling of PMEO2MA or PDMAEMA domains to introduce pores, the interior of the pores are covered with PMEO2MA or PDMAEMA blocks after pore formation. The PMEO2MA-b-PDMAEMA polymer brushes are naturally attached on the pore walls and worked as functional gates. PMEO2MA is a non-toxic, neutral thermo-responsive polymer with LCST at 26 ᴼC. PDMAEMA is a typical weak polyelectrolyte with pKa value at 7.0-7.5 and also a thermo-responsive polymer revealed a LCST of 20-80 °C in aqueous solution. Therefore, these membranes were expected to have multi dimensions as function of the combination of temperature and pH. Moreover, to understand the detail of the temperature and pH depended conformation transitions of PMEO2MA-b-PDMAEMA brushes, those diblock copolymers were end-tethered on flat substrates and analyzed via neutron reflectivity (NR).

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Self-regenerating giant hyaluronan polymer brushes

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-019-13440-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wenbin Wei ◽

Jessica L. Faubel ◽

Hemaa Selvakumar ◽

Daniel T. Kovari ◽

Joanna Tsao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wound Healing ◽

Polymer Brushes ◽

Functional Materials ◽

Polymer Physics ◽

High Density ◽

Hyaluronan Synthase ◽

Dynamic Interface ◽

Continuous Source

AbstractTailoring interfaces with polymer brushes is a commonly used strategy to create functional materials for numerous applications. Existing methods are limited in brush thickness, the ability to generate high-density brushes of biopolymers, and the potential for regeneration. Here we introduce a scheme to synthesize ultra-thick regenerating hyaluronan polymer brushes using hyaluronan synthase. The platform provides a dynamic interface with tunable brush heights that extend up to 20 microns – two orders of magnitude thicker than standard brushes. The brushes are easily sculpted into micropatterned landscapes by photo-deactivation of the enzyme. Further, they provide a continuous source of megadalton hyaluronan or they can be covalently-stabilized to the surface. Stabilized brushes exhibit superb resistance to biofilms, yet are locally digested by fibroblasts. This brush technology provides opportunities in a range of arenas including regenerating tailorable biointerfaces for implants, wound healing or lubrication as well as fundamental studies of the glycocalyx and polymer physics.

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Antifouling and Flux Enhancement of Reverse Osmosis Membrane by Grafting Poly (3-Sulfopropyl Methacrylate) Brushes

Membranes ◽

10.3390/membranes11030213 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 213

Author(s):

Reema Mushtaq ◽

Muhammad Asad Abbas ◽

Shehla Mushtaq ◽

Nasir M. Ahmad ◽

Niaz Ali Khan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Contact Angle ◽

Reverse Osmosis ◽

Polymer Brushes ◽

Surface Composition ◽

Reverse Osmosis Membrane ◽

Optical Profilometry ◽

Thin Film Composite ◽

Membrane Sample ◽

Contact Angle Analysis ◽

And Staphylococcus Aureus

A commercial thin film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) reverse osmosis membrane was grafted with 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium (SPMK) to produce PA-g-SPMK by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The grafting of PA was done at varied concentrations of SPMK, and its effect on the surface composition and morphology was studied by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), optical profilometry, and contact angle analysis. The grafting of hydrophilic ionically charged PSPMK polymer brushes having acrylate and sulfonate groups resulted in enhanced hydrophilicity rendering a reduction of contact angle from 58° of pristine membrane sample labeled as MH0 to 10° for a modified membrane sample labeled as MH3. Due to the increased hydrophilicity, the flux rate rises from 57.1 L m−2 h−1 to 71.2 L m−2 h−1, and 99% resistance against microbial adhesion (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) was obtained for MH3 after modification

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Layer by layer assembled functionalized graphene oxide-based polymer brushes for superlubricity on steel-steel tribocontact

Soft Matter ◽

10.1039/d1sm00690h ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Suprakash Samanta ◽

Rashmi Ranjan Sahoo

Keyword(s):

Graphene Oxide ◽

Nucleophilic Addition ◽

Polymer Brushes ◽

Addition Reaction ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Functionalized Graphene ◽

Covalent Functionalization ◽

Functionalized Graphene Oxide ◽

Nucleophilic Addition Reaction ◽

Branched Polyethylenimine

Present study demonstrates a simple and multistep approach for the preparation of covalent functionalization of chemically prepared graphene oxide (GO) by branched polyethylenimine (PEI) through nucleophilic addition reaction to prepare...

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