The modification of surface properties of electrospun fibers, while maintaining the bulk properties of the constituting material, is among important targets of the scientific community. In this work we use Surface Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (SI-ATRP) to modify the surface of electrospun Poly(L)lactic acid (PLLA) fibers. Fibers grafted with brushes of poly(glycerol monomethacrylate), poly(GMMA) and poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), poly(DEAEMA), were obtained with the aim to confer, respectively, non-fouling and antibacterial properties to PLLA fibres. Brushes polymerization conditions were optimized to obtain polyGMMA-grafted PLLA and polyDEAEMA-grafted PLLA fibres that maintained their original morphology. Mats were characterized to demonstrate the success of PLLA fibre surface modification: -potential changed consistently in the presence of the grafted chemical species; XPS analysis of PolyGMMA-grafted fibres revealed the presence of alcoholic carbons, alcoholic oxygens and -carbons of GMMA, while the peak ascribable to the tertiary amino groups of DEAEMA was detected in PolyDEAEMA-grafted fibres; modified fibres are instantaneously wetted by water while unmodified PLLA fibres are highly hydrophobic. Future work will verify the non-fouling properties of PolyGMMA-grafted PLLA and the antibacterial properties of PolyDEAEMA-grafted PLLA.
Advantages of Surface-Initiated ATRP (SI-ATRP) for the Functionalization of Electrospun Materials
GUALANDI, CHIARA;FOCARETE, MARIA LETIZIA;SCANDOLA, MARIASTELLA;
2014
Abstract
The modification of surface properties of electrospun fibers, while maintaining the bulk properties of the constituting material, is among important targets of the scientific community. In this work we use Surface Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (SI-ATRP) to modify the surface of electrospun Poly(L)lactic acid (PLLA) fibers. Fibers grafted with brushes of poly(glycerol monomethacrylate), poly(GMMA) and poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), poly(DEAEMA), were obtained with the aim to confer, respectively, non-fouling and antibacterial properties to PLLA fibres. Brushes polymerization conditions were optimized to obtain polyGMMA-grafted PLLA and polyDEAEMA-grafted PLLA fibres that maintained their original morphology. Mats were characterized to demonstrate the success of PLLA fibre surface modification: -potential changed consistently in the presence of the grafted chemical species; XPS analysis of PolyGMMA-grafted fibres revealed the presence of alcoholic carbons, alcoholic oxygens and -carbons of GMMA, while the peak ascribable to the tertiary amino groups of DEAEMA was detected in PolyDEAEMA-grafted fibres; modified fibres are instantaneously wetted by water while unmodified PLLA fibres are highly hydrophobic. Future work will verify the non-fouling properties of PolyGMMA-grafted PLLA and the antibacterial properties of PolyDEAEMA-grafted PLLA.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
