Revealing Amphiphilic Nanodomains of Anti-Biofouling Polymer Coatings

• DOI: 10.1021/am405159f
• Publication Date: 2014-03-12T11:46:47Z
• Authors: Carlo A. Amadei; Rong Yang; Matteo Chiesa; Karen K. Gleason; Sergio Santos
• Keywords: Biofouling; Force Spectroscopy; Nanometre

Undesired bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on wetted surfaces leads to significant economic environmental costs in various industries. Amphiphilic coatings with molecular hydrophilic hydrophobic patches can mitigate such biofouling effectively an environmentally friendly manner. The are synthesized by copolymerizing (Hydroxyethyl)methacrylate perfluorodecylacrylate via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). In previous studies, the size of was estimated be ∼1.4–1.75 nm fitting protein adsorption data a theoretical model. However, no direct observations heterogeneity exist therefore origin fouling resistance amphiphilic remains unclear. Here, nature is investigated amplitude modulation atomic force microscopy (AM-AFM). High-resolution images obtained penetrating oscillating AFM tip under naturally present water layer sub-nanometer amplitudes reveal, for first time, existence nanodomains (1-2 nm2). Compositional at nanoscale further corroborated statistical analysis dynamic AM-AFM spectroscopy. Variations long range attractive forces, responsible affinity, also identified. These nanoscopic results polymers wettability confirmed contact angle measurements (i.e., static dynamic). unprecedented ability visualize as well crystalline structures provides strong evidence previously postulated nanostructures, sheds light underlying antifouling mechanism chemistry.