Grafting To of Bottlebrush Polymers: Conformation and Kinetics

Specifically-adsorbed bottlebrush coatings are found in nature as brush-like glycoproteins that decorate biointerfaces and provide anti-fouling, lubrication, or wear-protection. Although various synthetic strategies have been developed to mimic glycoprotein structure and function, the use of these mimics is still limited because of the current lack of understanding of their adsorption behavior and surface conformation. In this paper, we examine the adsorption behavior of PEG-based, biotinylated bottlebrushes with different backbone and bristle lengths to streptavidin model surfaces in PBS. By using QCM, LSPR, and AFM, we learn how bottlebrush dimensions impact their adsorption kinetics, surface conformation, mechanical properties, and anti-fouling properties. Our bottlebrushes qualitatively mirror the adsorption behavior of linear polymers and exhibit three kinetic regimes of adsorption: (I) a transport-limited regime, (II) a pause, and (III) a penetration-limited regime. Furthermore, we find that bristle...