title: Enzymatic surface erosion of poly(trimethylene carbonate) films studied by atomic force microscopy.
abstract: In this article, the surface erosion of spin-coated poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) films by lipase solutions from Thermomyces lanuginosus was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). PTMC films (23-48 nm thick) were stable in water at 37 degrees C for 16 h, while after immersion in lipase solutions at 37 degrees C for 30 s and 1 min, the average thickness of the film decreased in time at a rate of 11.0 +/- 3.7 nm/min. The initially smooth films became significantly rougher during the erosion process. When the immersion time of the films in the lipase solutions was limited to less than 5 s, degradation of the surface was minimal and individual lipase molecules adsorbed on PTMC films could be discerned. By microcontact printing of the PTMC surfaces using a patterned PDMS stamp and lipase solution for 30 s, a predefined micropattern consisting of parallel, 5-microm-wide lines lying 5-nm deep and separated at a distance of 2 microm was formed. Friction images showed differences in surface properties between the recessed and protruding lines in the pattern.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Technology (BMTI) and Department of Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: G Julius
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Vancso
authors.forename: Dirk W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Grijpma
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feijen
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000327:Adsorption; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000201:enzymology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D017276:Friction; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D007700:Kinetics; D008049:Lipase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008956:Models, Chemical; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009040:Motion Pictures; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004146:Dioxanes; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; C059299:polytrimethylene carbonate; C443643:trimethylene carbonate; D008049:Lipase