Tuned Surface and Mechanical Properties of Polymeric Film Prepared by Random Copolymers Consisting of Methacrylate-POSS and 2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl Phosphorylcholine

Poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) is known as a biocompatible polymers. Copolymerization of 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and hydrophobic monomers is a general approach that gives bioinert functions to solid materials via the surface coating. However, due to the amorphous nature and super hydrophilicity of the MPC-based copolymers, both the surface and the mechanical properties are not controlled for biomedical applications. Here, the modulated mechanical property and the surface wettability of the MPC-based copolymers are shown by using a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) methacrylate. MPC is copolymerized with POSS methacrylates bearing different vertex groups of ethyl (C2H5), hexayl (C6H13), and octayl (C8H17) via radical polymerization. It is found that only the C2H5-POSS induces the increased mechanical strength, low surface wettability, and cellular attachment, suggesting that the C2H5-POSS moiety restricts the motion of PMPC chain. The finding is anticipated to be tuned for both surface and bulk functions of PMPC for biomedical applications.