Carboxymethylbetaine copolymer layer covalently fixed to a glass substrate

A random copolymer of zwitterionic monomer, carboxymethylbetaine (CMB), and 3-methacryloyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane was prepared in ethanol using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. The incubation of ethanol solution of the copolymer with a glass plate gave a layer of the copolymer with a thickness of about 2–3 nm. The copolymer-modified glass substrate became highly hydrophilic upon immersion in water, and showed a resistance against non-specific adsorption of proteins, and the degree of resistance increased with the content of CMB residues in the copolymer and leveled off. The adhesion of various cells to the glass substrate was also strongly suppressed by the surface modification with the copolymer layer. Further introduction of PolyCMB graft chains on the surface of the layer enhanced the suppression of cell adhesion due to the steric hindrance for the cells to approach the layer. The usefulness of the combination of zwitterionic polymer layer and graft chains to afford anti-biofouling properties to a solid surface of metal oxides was shown.

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► A copolymer of a zwitterionic monomer (CMB) and a monomer with a silane coupling moiety.
► Construction of the copolymer layer on a glass plate.
► Suppression of adsorption of proteins and adhesion of cells to the layer.
► Enhancement of anti-biofouling properties by grafting PolyCMB chains on the layer.