Patterning of Polystyrene by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy. Biological Applications to Cell Adhesion

• Published in: Langmuir 2010-11, Vol.26 (22), p.17348-17356
• Main Authors: Ktari, N, Poncet, P, Sénéchal, H, Malaquin, L, Kanoufi, F, Combellas, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Animals; Biological Interfaces: Biocolloids, Biomolecular and Biomimetic Materials; Cattle; Cell Adhesion - drug effects; Cell Line; Cell Separation; Chemistry; Electrochemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Hydroxyl Radical - chemistry; Mice; Microelectrodes; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods; Nitrates - chemistry; Oxidation-Reduction; Photoelectron Spectroscopy; Polystyrenes - chemistry; Polystyrenes - pharmacology; Printing; Rats; Serum Albumin, Bovine - chemistry; Silver - chemistry; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Surface Properties
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la1028564

Polystyrene surfaces may be patterned by Ag(II), NO3 •, and OH• electrogenerated at the tip of a scanning electrochemical microscope. These electrogenerated reagents lead to local surface oxidation of the polymer. The most efficient surface treatment is obtained with Ag(II). The patterns are evidenced by XPS and IR and also by the surface wettability contrast between the hydrophobic virgin surface and the hydrophilic pattern. Such Ag(II) treatment of a polystyrene Petri dish generates discriminative surfaces able to promote or disfavor the adhesion of proteins and also the adhesion and growth of adherent cells. The process is also successfully applied to a cyclo-olefin copolymer and should be suitable to pattern any hydrogenated polymer.