Issue 6, 2017

Micrometre and nanometre scale patterning of binary polymer brushes, supported lipid bilayers and proteins

Abstract

Binary polymer brush patterns were fabricated via photodeprotection of an aminosilane with a photo-cleavable nitrophenyl protecting group. UV exposure of the silane film through a mask yields micrometre-scale amine-terminated regions that can be derivatised to incorporate a bromine initiator to facilitate polymer brush growth via atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) confirm that relatively thick brushes can be grown with high spatial confinement. Nanometre-scale patterns were formed by using a Lloyd's mirror interferometer to expose the nitrophenyl-protected aminosilane film. In exposed regions, protein-resistant poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate) (POEGMEMA) brushes were grown by ATRP and used to define channels as narrow as 141 nm into which proteins could be adsorbed. The contrast in the pattern can be inverted by (i) a simple blocking reaction after UV exposure, (ii) a second deprotection step to expose previously intact protecting groups, and (iii) subsequent brush growth via surface ATRP. Alternatively, two-component brush patterns can be formed. Exposure of a nitrophenyl-protected aminosilane layer either through a mask or to an interferogram, enables growth of an initial POEGMEMA brush. Subsequent UV exposure of the previously intact regions allows attachment of ATRP initiator sites and growth of a second poly(cysteine methacrylate) (PCysMA) brush within photolithographically-defined micrometre or nanometre scale regions. POEGMEMA brushes resist deposition of liposomes, but fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) studies confirm that liposomes readily rupture on PCysMA “corrals” defined within POEGMEMA “walls”. This leads to the formation of highly mobile supported lipid bilayers that exhibit similar diffusion coefficients to lipid bilayers formed on surfaces such as glass.

Graphical abstract: Micrometre and nanometre scale patterning of binary polymer brushes, supported lipid bilayers and proteins

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
20 Jan 2017
Accepted
10 Apr 2017
First published
18 Apr 2017
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2017,8, 4517-4526

Micrometre and nanometre scale patterning of binary polymer brushes, supported lipid bilayers and proteins

A. Johnson, J. Madsen, P. Chapman, A. Alswieleh, O. Al-Jaf, P. Bao, C. R. Hurley, M. L. Cartron, S. D. Evans, J. K. Hobbs, C. N. Hunter, S. P. Armes and G. J. Leggett, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 4517 DOI: 10.1039/C7SC00289K

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