Responsive polymer brushes biomedical applications

This chapter encompasses a review on the system of responsive polymer brushes, while specifically focusing on the large potential that these systems can have in the field of biomedical applications. 

Responsive polymer bmshes are not only investigated on planar substrates, but can also be used to decorate nanoparticles (Figure 5.13). Here, the key biomedical application is the accommodation (immobilize) of biofunctional moieties such as proteins or enzymes (Wittemann Ballauff, 2006 Wittemann, Haupt, BaUauff, 2003). If there is sufficient attraction between a protein and a polymer brush to overcome excluded volume effects (the antifouling properties of the brush), much larger amounts of protein can accumulate inside a brnsh layer than can be adsorbed onto just the particles surface. The role of the attached polymer chains is thus to strongly increase the available surface area. In Fignre 5.13, we schematically show a spherical polymer brush filled with adsorbed nanoparticles. Because, protein molecules inunobilized by polymers are found to be relatively weakly bound, they keep their conformation and (enzymatic)... 

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