Growing hyperbranched polyglycerols on magnetic nanoparticles to resist nonspecific adsorption of proteins

Hyperbranched polyglycerols were grown from magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) via surface-initiated anionic ring-opening polymerization of glycidol. The modified MNPs were characterized by using TEM, XPS, TGA and FTIR. Hyperbranched polyglycerols resist the nonspecific adsorption of proteins on magnetic nanoparticles. The capability of hyperbranched polyglycerols is comparable favorably with the performance of methyloxy poly(ethylene glycol) (a linear mPEG with a molecular weight of 750) in resisting the adsorption of proteins.