Enhancing protein resistance of hydrogels based on poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) with interpenetrating network structure

Abstract

AbstractIn this work, sequential interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) based on poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and poly (2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) were prepared with improved protein resistance. The bulk properties of the IPN hydrogels such as water content, ion permeability and mechanical strength were determined by the gravimetric method, ionoflux measurement technique and tensile tester respectively. The surface characteristics of the IPNs were investigated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. XPS analysis suggested that PMPC was present on the surface and in the bulk material. The IPN hydrogels possessed more hydrophilic surface than PHEMA revealed by contact angle measurements. Bovine serum albumin was used as a model protein to evaluate protein resistance by bicinchoninic acid assay method. The result revealed that the protein adsorption on the IPNs showed dramatically reduction compared to PHEMA. These results suggest that the IPNs based on PHEMA and PMPC may be further developed as ophthalmic biomaterials. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011