SMOOTH AND HOMOGENEOUS PEG-FUNCTIONALIZED POLYSILOXANES FOR PROTEIN REPELLENCY

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dc.contributorHamilton, Darren
dc.contributorDavidoff, Giuliana
dc.contributor.advisorChen, Wei
dc.contributor.authorTabassum, Tarnuma
dc.date.accessioned2015-06-12T12:50:08Z
dc.date.available2015-06-12T12:50:08Z
dc.date.gradyear2015en_US
dc.date.issued2015-06-12
dc.description.abstractPolydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) are important organosilicone compounds that offer a wide range of biological and biomedical applications due to their unique structural properties. However, their inherently hydrophobic surface renders them incompatible with biological systems. Hydrophobic surfaces typically adsorb proteins, which leads to undesirable consequences such as biofilm formation and consequent microbial contamination. The goal of this study was to create a biocompatible platform by modifying the surfaces of PDMS based substrates. Thiol-functionalized substrates were fabricated by reacting silicon wafers with thiol-functionalized PDMS. Unfortunately, the thiol layers as prepared were rough and non-uniform due to disulfide bond formation between reagent molecules. Reducing agents, such as dithiothreitol, applied during the modification reaction, were necessary to generate smooth and uniform thiol layers. The thiol-functionalized substrates were subsequently evaluated as platforms for conjugations of molecules of biological interest. Vinyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) of varying molecular weights were “clicked” to the substrates via thiol-ene photochemistry to hydrophilize the surfaces and hence minimize non-specific protein adsorption. The substrates were characterized using ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, and atomic force microscopy before and after each reaction.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipChemistryen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10166/3657
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rights.restrictedpublicen_US
dc.subjectPDMSen_US
dc.subjecthydrophobicityen_US
dc.subjecthydrophilicityen_US
dc.subjectbiocompatibleen_US
dc.subjectreducing agenten_US
dc.subjectPEGen_US
dc.subjectsurface modificationen_US
dc.subjectDTTen_US
dc.titleSMOOTH AND HOMOGENEOUS PEG-FUNCTIONALIZED POLYSILOXANES FOR PROTEIN REPELLENCYen_US
dc.typeThesis
mhc.degreeUndergraduateen_US
mhc.institutionMount Holyoke College

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