Photosensitive polymer brushes grafted onto PTFE film surface for micropatterning of proteins

Abstract

Surface grafting of photosensitive polymer brushes on a flexible polymer surface was performed using Ar ion irradiation, which generated peroxides on the polymer surface upon exposure to air. These peroxides were utilized as initiators for graft polymerization of a photosensitive diazoketo-functionalized methacrylate monomer. Upon UV light exposure, the diazoketo group was converted into the carboxylic acid group which was used to covalently immobilize amine-functionalized biotin in a patterned fashion. Successful binding of streptavidin to the biotin-linked regions proved the potential of the platform for biomolecular patterning applications on commercial polymer substrates.