Zwitterionic Polymers
Zwitterionic systems are known for their strong antifouling effect and they readily resist adsorption of proteins[1] and a large range of freshwater and marine fouling organisms.[1,2] The low fouling properties are in general ascribed to the net charge neutrality of zwitterionic materials, and the selection of anionic and cationic groups allows to tailor the coatings for specific applications. As only a handful of zwitterionic monomers are commercially available, sulfobetaines and carboxybetaines are frequently studied systems.[3,4] We extend the range of accessible polymers and explore the next generation of polymers with advanced functionality.[5]
Students working on this project: Jana Karthäuser, Lisa Schardt
Collaborations: Prof. Laschewsky, Potsdam University
[1] Bauer, S. et al. Attachment of Algal Cells to Zwitterionic Self-Assembled Monolayers Comprised of Different Anionic Compounds. Langmuir 32, 5663–5671 (2016).
[2] Koc, J. et al. Effect of Dipole Orientation in Mixed, Charge-Equilibrated Self-assembled Monolayers on Protein Adsorption and Marine Biofouling. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces acsami.0c11580 (2020) doi:10.1021/acsami.0c11580.
[3] Koschitzki, F. et al. Amphiphilic Dicyclopentenyl/Carboxybetaine-Containing Copolymers for Marine Fouling-Release Applications. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 12, 34148–34160 (2020).
[4] Koc, J. et al. Effects of crosslink density in zwitterionic hydrogel coatings on their antifouling performance and susceptibility to silt uptake. Biofouling 36, 646–659 (2020).
[5] Schönemann, E. et al. Sulfobetaine Methacrylate Polymers of Unconventional Polyzwitterion Architecture and Their Antifouling Properties. Biomacromolecules (2021) doi:10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01705.