title: Dynamics of a bioinert polymer in hydrated states by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy.
abstract: The chain dynamics of well-defined poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA), which has been used in practice as a bioinert coating for heart-lung machines, was examined as a function of water content by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS). Two relaxation processes observed in both dried and hydrated films were assigned to the segmental motion (α-process) and the relatively smaller scale motion such as the hindered rotation of side chains (β-process). Water molecules adsorbed on PMEA made the α-process faster, meaning that water molecules in PMEA played the role of a plasticizer. Combining the above knowledge with the depth dependence of water content in the PMEA film previously obtained by neutron reflectivity, the segmental dynamics of PMEA at the water interface, which should be crucial to bio-inertness, is discussed. We found that the segmental motion was markedly faster than that in the bulk and almost comparable to the side chain motion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. h-matsuno@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp k-tanaka@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toyoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. h-matsuno@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp k-tanaka@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp and International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.affiliation: Education Center for Global Leaders in Molecular Systems for Devices, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. h-matsuno@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp k-tanaka@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inutsuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. h-matsuno@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp k-tanaka@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tomoyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.affiliation: Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. h-matsuno@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp k-tanaka@cstf.kyushu-u.ac.jp and International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka