AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session SS-TuP

Paper SS-TuP21
Surface Adhesion Properties of Block Copolymer Films

Tuesday, October 19, 2010, 6:00 pm, Room Southwest Exhibit Hall

Session: Surface Science Poster Session
Presenter: M. Palacio, The Ohio State University
Authors: M. Palacio, The Ohio State University
S. Schricker, The Ohio State University
B. Bhushan, The Ohio State University
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Block copolymers are of interest as scaffold materials for cell growth and regeneration because novel, structurally diverse polymers can be synthesized from biocompatible blocks. The nanostructure and surface morphology of block copolymers can be modulated using synthetic techniques and the nanostructures can be used to affect surface mechanical behavior. We present atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies on the morphology and corresponding protein adhesion interactions of a novel class of methyl methacrylate and acrylic acid diblock and triblock copolymers. Distinct nanomorphologies were found on diblock and triblock copolymers even though their chemical compositions are identical. This has implications on the role of nanomorphology in cell-polymer interactions. Protein adhesion on a biomaterial surface is critical to understanding its biocompatibility. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was attached to the AFM tip in order to model protein-block copolymer interactions.