Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers

Antifouling polymer coating surfaces are used in widespread industries applications. Zwitterionic polymers have been identified as promising materials in developing polymer coating surfaces. Importantly, the density of the polymer chains is crucial for acquiring superior antifouling performance. Thi...

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Main Authors: Clil Regev, Zhongyi Jiang, Roni Kasher, Yifat Miller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-10-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/21/7394
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author Clil Regev
Zhongyi Jiang
Roni Kasher
Yifat Miller
author_facet Clil Regev
Zhongyi Jiang
Roni Kasher
Yifat Miller
author_sort Clil Regev
collection DOAJ
description Antifouling polymer coating surfaces are used in widespread industries applications. Zwitterionic polymers have been identified as promising materials in developing polymer coating surfaces. Importantly, the density of the polymer chains is crucial for acquiring superior antifouling performance. This study introduces two different zwitterionic polymer density surfaces by applying molecular modeling tools. To assess the antifouling performance, we mimic static adsorption test, by placing the foulant model bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surfaces. Our findings show that not only the density of the polymer chain affect antifouling performance, but also the initial orientation of the BSA on the surface. Moreover, at a high-density surface, the foulant either detaches from the surface or anchor on the surface. At low-density surface, the foulant does not detach from the surface, but either penetrates or anchors on the surface. The anchoring and the penetrating mechanisms are elucidated by the electrostatic interactions between the foulant and the surface. While the positively charged ammonium groups of the polymer play major role in the interactions with the negatively charged amino acids of the BSA, in the penetrating mechanism the ammonium groups play minor role in the interactions with the contact with the foulant. The sulfonate groups of the polymer pull the foulant in the penetrating mechanism. Our work supports the design of a high-density polymer chain surface coating to prevent fouling phenomenon. Our study provides for the first-time insights into the molecular mechanism by probing the interactions between BSA and the zwitterion surface, while testing high- and low-densities polymer chains.
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spelling doaj.art-2d86e31c4d61425d9de42f8e8222de052023-11-24T06:03:31ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-10-012721739410.3390/molecules27217394Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic PolymersClil Regev0Zhongyi Jiang1Roni Kasher2Yifat Miller3Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Be’er Sheva 84105, IsraelKey Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaDepartment of Desalination and Water Treatment, Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, IsraelDepartment of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Be’er Sheva 84105, IsraelAntifouling polymer coating surfaces are used in widespread industries applications. Zwitterionic polymers have been identified as promising materials in developing polymer coating surfaces. Importantly, the density of the polymer chains is crucial for acquiring superior antifouling performance. This study introduces two different zwitterionic polymer density surfaces by applying molecular modeling tools. To assess the antifouling performance, we mimic static adsorption test, by placing the foulant model bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surfaces. Our findings show that not only the density of the polymer chain affect antifouling performance, but also the initial orientation of the BSA on the surface. Moreover, at a high-density surface, the foulant either detaches from the surface or anchor on the surface. At low-density surface, the foulant does not detach from the surface, but either penetrates or anchors on the surface. The anchoring and the penetrating mechanisms are elucidated by the electrostatic interactions between the foulant and the surface. While the positively charged ammonium groups of the polymer play major role in the interactions with the negatively charged amino acids of the BSA, in the penetrating mechanism the ammonium groups play minor role in the interactions with the contact with the foulant. The sulfonate groups of the polymer pull the foulant in the penetrating mechanism. Our work supports the design of a high-density polymer chain surface coating to prevent fouling phenomenon. Our study provides for the first-time insights into the molecular mechanism by probing the interactions between BSA and the zwitterion surface, while testing high- and low-densities polymer chains.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/21/7394grafted polymer densityantifoulingmolecular simulationspoly zwitterionhydration layer
spellingShingle Clil Regev
Zhongyi Jiang
Roni Kasher
Yifat Miller
Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers
Molecules
grafted polymer density
antifouling
molecular simulations
poly zwitterion
hydration layer
title Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers
title_full Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers
title_fullStr Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers
title_full_unstemmed Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers
title_short Distinct Antifouling Mechanisms on Different Chain Densities of Zwitterionic Polymers
title_sort distinct antifouling mechanisms on different chain densities of zwitterionic polymers
topic grafted polymer density
antifouling
molecular simulations
poly zwitterion
hydration layer
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/21/7394
work_keys_str_mv AT clilregev distinctantifoulingmechanismsondifferentchaindensitiesofzwitterionicpolymers
AT zhongyijiang distinctantifoulingmechanismsondifferentchaindensitiesofzwitterionicpolymers
AT ronikasher distinctantifoulingmechanismsondifferentchaindensitiesofzwitterionicpolymers
AT yifatmiller distinctantifoulingmechanismsondifferentchaindensitiesofzwitterionicpolymers