Polyethyloxazoline monolayers for polymer supported biomembrane models

The synthesis of polymer monolayers, which are designed to act as "cushions " for lipid membranes attached to solid surfaces, is described. Monolayers of poly(ethyloxazolines) which could act as a polymeric support for biomime tic membranes have been attached to silicon oxide or gold surfaces followin g different strategies for the surface-attachment of the polymer chains. Th e polymers are either bound to the surface through a chemisorption process ("grafting-to") or "grown" on the surface of silicon oxide substrates throu gh a cationic ring-opening polymerization started from the surface of the s ubstrate, creating a surface-attached polymer monolayer in situ ("grafting from"). The characterization of the surface attached films by various surfa ce analytical techniques and the swelling behavior of the surface-attached polymer films in moist air are described. The non-specific adsorption of fi brinogen as a typical example for a strongly adsorbing protein onto the sur face attached monolayers is studied.