Title
The biocompatible polythiophene-: G-polycaprolactone copolymer as an efficient dopamine sensor platform
Date Issued
21 October 2017
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Molina B.
Bendrea A.
Cianga L.
Armelin E.
Cianga I.
Alemán C.
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Publisher(s)
Royal Society of Chemistry
Abstract
Amphiphilic copolymers consisting of an all conjugated polythiophene backbone and sparsely attached oligo-ϵ-caprolactone side chains have been prepared by anodic electropolymerization of hydroxymethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (HMeEDOT) with a thiophene-ended oligo-ϵ-caprolactone macromonomer (Th-PCL), obtained by ring opening polymerization of ϵ-caprolactone with thiophene methanol. The random copolymers, obtained starting from two different molar ratios of the co-monomers in the feed (HMeEDOT :&Th-PCL of 80&:&20 and 60&:&40), and the homopolymer (PHMeEDOT) were synthesized by using three different working electrodes. After structural characterization by FTIR, the electrochemical, morphological and surface properties of the obtained copolymers were examined, and the results evidenced a dependence on both the working electrode and the composition in the feed. In order to evaluate the opportunities in the copolymers's further bioapplications, biodegradability, cytotoxicity and cell proliferation investigations were carried out. By combining the results of electrochemical characterization with those of biocompatibility and dopamine sensing capability tests, it was concluded that a co-monomer feed ratio of 80&:&20 could be the optimal choice for the potential use of these amphiphilic copolymers in sensing devices. All in all, this study shows the benefit of a designed "hairy-rod" conjugated polymeric architecture which, via their side chain nature (biocompatible/biodegradable, hydrophobic, oligomeric) and their grafting density, enabled the synthesis of a material for targeted application.
Start page
6112
End page
6122
Volume
8
Issue
39
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Electroquímica Ingeniería química
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85031304733
Source
Polymer Chemistry
ISSN of the container
17599954
Sponsor(s)
This work was supported by MINECO (MAT2015-69367-R). Support for the research by C. A. was received through the prize “ICREA Academia” for excellence in research funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya. B. G. M. is thankful to CONACYT for the financial support through a postgraduate scholarship (328467 CVU 621314). The Romanian authors dedicate this paper to the memory of Professor Cristofor I. Simionescu (1920–2007), a remarkable academic and cultural personality, the pioneer of macromolecular chemistry in Romania.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus