Enhancing the protein resistance of silicone via surface-restructuring PEO-silane amphiphiles with variable PEO length.
Silicones with superior protein resistance were produced by bulk-modification with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-silane amphiphiles that demonstrated a higher capacity to restructure to the surface-water interface versus conventional non-amphiphilic PEO-silanes. The PEO-silane amphiphiles were prepared with a single siloxane tether length but variable PEO segment lengths: α-(EtO)3Si(CH2)2-oligodimethylsiloxane13-block-poly(ethylene oxide)n-OCH3(n= 3, 8, and 16). Conventional PEO-silane analogues (n= 3, 8 and 16) as well as a siloxane tether-silane (i.e. no PEO segment) were prepared as controls. When surface-grafted onto silicon wafer, PEO-silane amphiphiles produced surfaces that were more hydrophobic and thus more adherent towards fibrinogen versus the corresponding PEO-silane. However, when blended into a silicone, PEO-silane amphiphiles exhibited rapid restructuring to the surface-water interface and excellent protein resistance whereas the PEO-silanes did not. Silicones modified with PEO-silane amphiphiles of PEO segment lengthsn= 8 and 16 achieved the highest protein resistance.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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MA
Rufin
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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JA
Gruetzner
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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MJ
Hurley
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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Hawkins
Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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Raymond
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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Raymond
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 ; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120.
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Grunlan