| Description |
The PhD thesis will be aimed at surface modifications of biomedically relevant synthetic substrates with polymer brushes performed via reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) techniques. One of the goals will be to find appropriate initiators allowing for controlled polymerization of water-soluble monomers from synthetic surfaces to grant them non-fouling properties in complex biological media. Secondly, optimization of the reaction conditions, such as the initiator immobilization strategy, initiator type, surface grafting density, monomer concentration, ligand structure, and temperature, will be conducted to reveal their impact on the polymerization kinetics, polymer brush structure and non-fouling performance. Obtained polymerization protocols will be subsequently used to functionalize surfaces of various devices where resistance to protein fouling is the key prerequisite. |
