Synthesis, structure and surface dynamics of phosphorylcholine functional biomimicking polymers

2-Acryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (APC) was synthesised and copolymerised with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA) to lead to a PC functional terpolymer. Bulk and solution properties were assessed through elemental analysis, DSC and 1H-NMR. The possibility of chain transfer was discussed. Surface properties were investigated by ToF-SIMS and XPS as well as in vitro assays to assess the non-fouling characteristic of the terpolymer. It was found that a low PC concentration generates an amphiphile terpolymer and is responsible for the organisation of the bulk into a microphase separated morphology with enriched PC domains dispersed in a (MMA-MA) matrix. The presence of PC micelles in non-polar solvent could also be deduced from the analysis of the polymer structure behaviour in solution. Finally, surface reorganisation of the terpolymer was shown to be highly dependent upon the affinities of the PC group for its environment and owing to surface compliance, a low PC content was already sufficient to strongly reduce cell attachment.