Bio-inspired immobilization of low-fouling phospholipid polymers via a simple dipping process: a comparative study of phenol, catechol and gallol as tethering groups

We report on a cost-effective synthesis method for copolymers containing bioinspired phenolic and phosphorylcholine groups in the side chain. Adsorption of the gallol group bearing polymers onto surfaces was compared with reference polymers containing catechol, phenol, phenyl or n-butyl groups. We found that the gallol group was the most effective functional group among those tested to immobilize the low-fouling phospholipid polymer on surfaces. The adlayer exhibited the same degree of low-fouling properties as the commercially available phospholipid polymer (LIPIDURE®-PMB), while exhibiting better solvent resistance, especially in water and alcohol. Thus we expect that the reported method may be advantageous in biomedical applications that often involve an alcohol sterilization process.