Facile Synthesis of a Phosphorylcholine-Based Zwitterionic Amphiphilic Copolymer for Anti-Biofouling Coatings.

An antibiofouling polymer coating, combined with both zwitterionic and amphiphilic features, is engineered by a two-step modification of a commodity polymer. The surface properties of the resultant polymer coating can be easily tuned by varying the extent of cross-linking in the network. Higher antibiofouling efficiency was observed for these surfaces vs. an elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane standard (Sylgard 184) against the adsorption of biomacromolecules and a marine fouling organism (Ulva zoospores) has been demonstrated. This design establishes a platform for the achievement of functionalized amphiphilic zwitterionic copolymers from relatively inexpensive starting materials via simple chemical manipulations.