Work

Catecholamine-Copper Redox as a Basis for Site-Specific Single-Step Functionalization of Material Surfaces

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Realization of robust and facile surface functionalization processes is critical to biomaterials and biotechnology yet remains a challenge. Here, we report a new chemical approach that enables operationally simple and site-specific surface functionalization. The mechanism involves a catechol-copper redox chemistry, where the oxidative polymerization of an alkynyl catecholamine reduces Cu(II) to Cu(I), which in situ catalyzes a click reaction with azide-containing molecules of interest (MOIs). This process enables drop-coating and grafting of two- and three-dimensional solid surfaces in a single operation using as small as sub-microliter volumes. Generalizability of the method is shown for immobilizing MOIs of diverse structure and chemical or biological activity. Biological applications in anti-biofouling, cellular adhesion, scaffold seeding, and tissue regeneration are demonstrated, in which the activities or fates of cells are site-specifically manipulated. This work advances surface chemistry by integrating simplicity and precision with multipurpose surface functionalization.

Source: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c19396

Authors: Zhaojun Jia, Kern Hast, Enver Cagri Izgu

Institutions: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers Cancer Institute

Language: English

Topic: Polymer Surface Interaction Studies

Subfield: Surfaces, Coatings and Films

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: New Jersey Health Foundation, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

Awards: G362367566, Activity-Based Aptamers as Bioimaging Tools for Probing Organics, Inorganics, and Enzymes