Control of Polymer Brush Morphology, Rheology, and Protein Repulsion by Hydrogen Bond Complexation.

ABSTRACT: Polymer brushes are widely used to alter the properties of interfaces. In particular, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and similar polymers can make surfaces inert toward biomolecular adsorption. Neutral hydrophilic brushes are normally considered to have static properties at a given temperature. As an example, PEG is not responsive to pH or ionic strength. Here we show that, by simply introducing a polymeric acid such as poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), the highly hydrated brush barrier can change its properties entirely. This is caused by multivalent hydrogen bonds in an extremely pH-sensitive process. Remarkably, it is sufficient to reduce the pH to 5 for complexation to occur at the interface, which is two units higher than in the corresponding bulk systems. Below this critical pH, PMAA start

SUBMITTER: Andersson J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8154870 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature