Electron beam irradiation as a straightforward way to produce tailorable non-biofouling poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) hydrogel layers on different substrates

• Published in: Applied surface science 2023-07, Vol.625, p.157061, Article 157061
• Main Authors: Šrámková, Petra, Kučka, Jan, Kroneková, Zuzana, Lobaz, Volodymyr, Šlouf, Miroslav, Mičušík, Matej, Šepitka, Josef, Kleinová, Angela, Chorvát, Dušan, Mateášik, Anton, Hrubý, Martin, Kronek, Juraj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crosslinking; Electron beam radiation; Hydrogel coating; Mechanical properties; Non-biofouling properties; Poly[(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)-co-(2-(3-butenyl)-2-oxazoline)]
• ISSN: 0169-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.157061

[Display omitted] •First report of employing the electron beam irradiation for preparation of poly(2-oxazoline)-based hydrogel coatings.•Applied method is independent on surface material (Si wafer, PS plate).•Grafting and crosslinking are driven by amount of double bonds essential for the formation of covalent bonds.•Presence of the hydrogel layer decreases cell adhesion to a negligible value.•The stiffness increases with the degree of crosslinking which denotes the possibility of adjusting the required stiffness by proper selection of the experimental parameters. Uncontrolled accumulation of proteins and cells on implantable materials often leads to failure of their performance in vivo. The idea presented in this paper is the use of electron beam irradiation as a widely applicable, cost-effective, and defined method to produce non-biofouling hydrogel coatings to improve the biocompatibility and in vivo performance of implantable materials. Statistical copolymers poly[2-methyl-2-oxazoline-co-2-(3-butenyl)-2-oxazoline]s were deposited on different substrates and irradiated with beta radiation of different radiation doses (2–100 kGy). In the bulk state experiments, we found that the higher content of crosslinkable 3-butenyl units and a higher radiation dose resulted in more efficient crosslinking. Similarly, the irradiation of coatings demonstrated the high impact of the concentration of 3-butenyl units on crosslinking efficiency. Accordingly, the concentration of crosslinkable double bonds in the copolymer is crucial for the stability and homogeneity of the formed hydrogel layer. Stable and uniform hydrogel layers with thicknesses in the micrometer range were prepared from a 5 wt% copolymer solution. Depending on the preparation conditions, the hydrogel layers showed excellent non-biofouling properties with a low number of adherent cells. In addition, stiffness was dependent on the degree of crosslinking, and can thus be tailored for specific application in living tissue.