Zwitterionic polymers having biomimetic adhesive linkages

Inventors

Jiang, Shaoyi • Gao, Changlu • Li, Guozhu • Xue, Hong • Brault, JR., Norman David

Assignees

WASHINGTON, University of • University of Washington

Abstract

Zwitterionic polymers having adhesive groups, methods for making the polymers, surfaces having the polymers grafted thereto and grafted therefrom, and methods for making and using the polymer-modified surfaces.

Core Innovation

The patent describes biomimetic adhesive zwitterionic polymer architectures comprising a polymer backbone with cationic centers covalently coupled to the polymer backbone via a first linker and an anionic center covalently coupled to each cationic center via a second linker. The architecture further includes one or more dihydroxyphenyl groups covalently coupled to the terminus of the polymer backbone.

The disclosed polymers are defined by structural formulas in which the number of repeating units and the number of dihydroxyphenyl groups are controlled, including parameters such as m and n in representative formulas. The cationic centers and anionic centers are specified as different covalently coupled functional group types, and the dihydroxyphenyl groups function as adhesive termini while the cationic/anionic coupling forms zwitterionic or polyampholytic charge balance along the polymer.

The document further discloses forming or depositing polymer layers on diverse substrates by using adhesive groups to obtain polymer-coated or grafted surfaces, including graft-to and grafting-from approaches involving surface-initiated polymer layer formation. The resulting adhesive zwitterionic layers are reported to exhibit reduced nonspecific protein adsorption from buffers and reduced adhesion and biofilm formation with bacterial exposure.

Claims Coverage

The partial claim set provided includes one independent claim, which defines a zwitterionic adhesive polymer by combining a polymer backbone, covalently coupled cationic and anionic centers linked through two linkers, and one or more dihydroxyphenyl groups covalently coupled to the terminus of the polymer backbone. Dependent claims refine the allowable chemistries and specify narrowed variants of the core polymer structure.

Across the independent claim and its dependents shown, the core inventive structure is a polymer backbone bearing covalently coupled cationic centers and anionic centers through first and second linkers, together with dihydroxyphenyl groups covalently coupled at the polymer terminus. The dependent claim fragments provided narrow the cationic and anionic chemistries and specify the dihydroxyphenyl regiochemistry, and also include applying the polymer to treat a surface.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications