title: Anti-biofouling properties of comblike block copolymers with amphiphilic side chains.
abstract: Surfaces of novel block copolymers with amphiphilic side chains were studied for their ability to influence the adhesion of marine organisms. The surface-active polymer, obtained by grafting fluorinated molecules with hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks to a block copolymer precursor, showed interesting bioadhesion properties. Two different algal species, one of which adhered strongly to hydrophobic surfaces, and the other, to hydrophilic surfaces, showed notably weak adhesion to the amphiphilic surfaces. Both organisms are known to secrete adhesive macromolecules, with apparently different wetting characteristics, to attach to underwater surfaces. The ability of the amphiphilic surface to undergo an environment-dependent transformation in surface chemistry when in contact with the extracellular polymeric substances is a possible reason for its antifouling nature. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) was used, in a new approach based on angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), to determine the variation in chemical composition within the top few nanometers of the surface and also to study the surface segregation of the amphiphilic block. A mathematical model to extract depth-profile information from the normalized NEXAFS partial electron yield is developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Sitaraman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: Ramakrishnan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ayothi
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hexemer
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Finlay
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Christopher K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ober
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Maureen E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Callow
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Callow
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents