Tuning of Smart Multifunctional Polymer Coatings Made by Zwitterionic Phosphorylcholines

In the last years, the generation of multifunctional coatings has been moved into the focus of interface modifications to expand the spectrum of material applications and to introduce new smart properties. Herein a promising multifunctional and universally usable coating with simultaneous antifouling, easy-to-clean, and anti-fog functionality is presented based on smart polymer films consisting of copolymers with 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), realizing the function of the film and photoreactive 4-benzophenyl methacrylate (BPO), which is responsible for stability and crosslinking. The easy-to-clean effect is demonstrated qualitatively and quantitatively by oil droplet detachment experiments. The antifouling behavior against different germs is investigated by cell adhesion experiments. Furthermore the anti-fog performance is shown by breathing on the surfaces. To study the influence of the different amounts of copolymerized BPO, the grafted films are characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), as well as contact angle measurements. In situ spectroscopic ellipsometry is performed to investigate the swelling behavior of the thin films as a function of the time of UV-irradiation. It is found that a degree of swelling of 15 and a water contact angle of less than 12 degrees are the key parameters necessary for the generation of multifunctional coatings.