title: Self-assembly of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(alkyl phosphonate) terpolymers on titanium oxide surfaces: synthesis, interface characterization, investigation of nonfouling properties, and long-term stability.
abstract: This contribution deals with the self-assembling of a terpolymer on titanium oxide (TiO(2)) surface. The polymer structure was obtained by polymerization of different methacrylates, i.e., alkyl-phosphonated, butyl and PEG methacrylate, in the presence of a chain transfer agent. The resulting PEG-poly(alkyl phosphonate) material, characterized mainly by SEC and NMR, self-organized at the interface of TiO(2). AR-XPS demonstrated the binding of phosphonate groups to TiO(2) substrate and the formation of a PEG-brush layer at the outermost part of the system. The stability of this terpolymer adlayer, after exposure to solutions of pH 2, 7.4, and 9 up to 3 weeks, was evaluated quantitatively by XPS and ellipsometry. We demonstrated an overall stability improvements of this coating against desorption in contact with aqueous solutions in comparison with reference self-assembly systems. Finally, the PEG-terpolymer adlayer proved to impart to TiO(2) substrate antifouling properties when exposed to full blood serum.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zoulalian
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zürcher
authors.forename: Samuele
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tosatti
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Textor
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monge
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Robin
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002021:Buffers; D003624:Darkness; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008970:Molecular Weight; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002021:Buffers; D063065:Organophosphonates; D011506:Proteins; C009495:titanium dioxide; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D014025:Titanium