Non-biofouling property of well-defined concentrated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) brush

We comprehensively studied protein adsorption and human umbilical vein endothelial cell adhesion on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) brushes by varying different graft densities and thicknesses. Concentrated brushes were prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization, and semi-dilute brushes were prepared by a “grafting-to” method on a silicon wafer or a quartz crystal microbalance sensor. The concentrated brushes notably prevented protein adsorption and HUVEC adhesion compared with the corresponding semi-dilute brushes. The results suggest that the physical structure, namely the concentrated brush structure plays an important role in non-biofouling property.

► We examined protein adsorption/cell adhesion on concentrated polymer brushes (CBs). ► The CBs (graft densities = 0.8 chains/nm2) have different thicknesses (2–10 nm). ► The CBs significantly affects on non-biofouling property.