Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol.32, No.11, 2187-2192, 1994
New Fluorinated Oxazoline Block-Copolymer Lowers the Adhesion of Platelets on Polyurethane Surfaces
We have prepared an amphiphilic oxazoline block copolymer of hydrophilic poly (2-methyl-2-oxazoline) and hydrophobic poly[2-(2-perfluorooctyl)ethyl-2-oxazoline] chains. By controlling the length and composition of polymer chains, we found that this fluorinated block copolymer can be readily dissolved in water. Furthermore, we can achieve a stable surface coating of the fluorinated block copolymer by dissolving the copolymer in water, then coating the aqueous copolymer solution onto surfaces of nonwater-soluble polymers. This is a simple and useful method of modifying the surface character of polymer substrates. We have found that the polyether urethane (PEU) coated by block copolymer has a different surface chemistry and biological reactivity than the uncoated PEU. From XPS analysis, we found the fluorinated copolymer was coated on PEU (atomic % of F : 31.3 on coated PEU, 0.3 on uncoated). The two surfaces have different affinities for biological molecules. Specifically, the fibrinogen adsorption on the fluorinated copolymer-coated PEU was 62 +/- 39 ng/cm2, compared to a value of 156 +/- 99 ng/cm;2 for uncoated PEU. In an ex vivo evaluation of platelet adhesion, the surface of coated PEU attached a few white cells while uncoated PEU was covered with activated platelets.