Polymer brushes that resist adsorption of model proteins: Design parameters

The adsorption of model proteins onto brush-coated surfaces can occur via t wo modes. Primary adsorption at the surface, where short range attraction i s dominant, is important for small proteins and may be repressed by increas ing the grafting density. Secondary adsorption, due to van der Waals attrac tion, occurs at the outer edge of the brush. Large rodlike proteins are lik ely to adsorb in this fashion. This mode may be repressed by increasing the brush thickness. The thermodynamics and kinetics of adsorption of model pr oteins are considered within a simple analytical theory distinguishing betw een the different adsorption mechanisms of small and big proteins.