Surfaces modified by amphiphilic copolymer: Preparation and application

N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM)-ethylene oxide (EO) copolymer was grafted on filter paper surface to obtain paper-based adsorptive membrane. Protein adsorption on and release from the membrane was evaluated under various conditions using humanized monoclonal antibody as model protein. The results obtained indicated that amphiphilic copolymer modified filter paper could be used as a novel chromatographic membrane for protein separation/purification. Comb-block copolymers of NIPAM with N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP) were prepared through RAFT polymerization and macromonomer techniques. Surface modification of substrates, such as plastics and glass, was carried out by treatment of the substrates in aqueous solution of the amphiphilic comb-block copolymer (adsorptive coating, pre-adsorption). It was found that the adsorbed copolymer layer was stable in aqueous environment even when shear stress was applied. Protein adhesion on the material surfaces before and after the modification was investigated using lysozyme as model protein. The results obtained showed that the adsorptive coating layer on the material surfaces significantly reduced non-specific protein adhesion.