Mussel-inspired zwitterionic copolyethers for antifouling biomedical surfaces

Owing to their superior hydrophilicity, zwitterionic molecules are known to form a strong hydration layer serving as an effective antifouling barrier. Despite their widespread use, the immobilization of zwitterionic molecules on various surfaces has posed a considerable challenge. Herein, we designed zwitterionic polyethers functionalized with mussel-inspired catechol moieties, which can be applied as versatile coatings with enhanced antifouling properties for biomedical surfaces. A series of block polyethers were synthesized via sequential anionic ring-opening polymerization of catechol-acetonide glycidyl ether and N,N-diisopropyl ethanolamine glycidyl ether, followed by post-polymerization modification to afford the desired zwitterionic brushes. The versatile surface adsorption and superior antifouling effects of the synthesized polyether brushes were evaluated using atomic force microscopy, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, and bioassay on the biomedical device surfaces. This study highlights the superior antifouling properties of zwitterionic polyether brushes, with potential applications in biomedical surfaces.