Abstract
Amphiphilic surfaces are particularly effective at inhibiting the adhesion of microorganisms (bacteria, cells, microalgae, etc.) in liquid media. The aim of this study is to determine the best hydrophilic linker to promote bonding between poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a hydrophilic additive and poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) as the hydrophobic matrix. Various parameters have been studied (molecular weight, linker type, and polymer end-group), as well as the efficiency of the linking, the capacity of PEG to access to the surface of the film, and overall film homogeneity. According to the results, a PDMS linker paired with a PEG moiety allows for compatibilization of the compounds during cross-linking. This compatibilization seems to provide a good bonding with the matrix and a good surface access to the hydrophilic moiety. Therefore, this structure comprising a linking function attached to the PDMS–PEG copolymer has high potential as a non-releasable additive for amphiphilic coating applications.
Highlights
Silicone elastomers such as poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) have received great attention regarding their potential use as anti-bioadhesion coatings [1]
The compatibilization of different Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) additives in a PDMS matrix was studied. This compatibilization is a critical parameter in achieving a formation of non-leaching coatings
It is suggested that the most important element is the presence of a reactive linking group that maintains the additive in the film
Summary
Silicone elastomers such as poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) have received great attention regarding their potential use as anti-bioadhesion coatings [1]. It is widely used to reduce or prevent bioadhesion in biomedical field [3,4,5,6,7,8]. These kinds of coatings are prone to protein adsorption and accumulation of strongly adherent diatom slimes [9]. The addition of oil (e.g., amphiphilic copolymers) is a common technique for enhancing the biofouling-resistance properties of silicone-matrix fouling-release coatings [10]. Wu et al modified a PDMS surface with a PEG-based block copolymer to improve the anti-protein effect with respect to fluorescent tagged antibody adhesion [18]
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