Fabrication of microstructured binary polymer brush “corrals” with integral pH sensing for studies of proton transport in model membrane systems

Abstract

Binary polymer brush microstructures incorporating ratiometric fluorescent pH indicators enable in situ studies of light-activated transmembrane proton transport by proteorhodopsin.

Mixed Polymer Brushes for “Smart” Surfaces

“…It is important to note that we primarily focus on planar substrates; MPBs on curved surfaces and particles have been reviewed previously and provide promising platforms for materials that can be selectively shuttled between phases in multi-component mixtures [55]. Note that there are also so-called "binary" or "ternary" polymer brushes, patterned manually in nanometer-or micron-scales (e.g., using a photomask) on a surface [56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64]. We do not consider these as "binary or ternary mixed polymer brushes" here, since their tethered ends are not inherently mixed on a molecular level.…”

Surface modification of pH-responsive poly(2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate) brushes grafted on mesoporous silica nanoparticles

“…Surface quaternization of the PDMA was achieved by conducting the polymer to 1-iodooctadecane in a poor solvent (n-hexane), producing pH-responsive brushes with hydrophobic upper surface. Madsen et al prepared poly(cysteine methacrylate) (PCysMA) on glass and used THF (poor solvent) to cause collapse of the PCysMA brushes to achieve selective derivatisation of amine groups with glutaraldehyde at the interface between the collapsed brush and solvent, facilitating attachment of aminobutyl(nitrile triacetic acid) (NTA) [37].…”

Luminescent Surface‐Tethered Polymer Brush Materials

“…The polymer brushes functionalized with histidine‐tagged proteins such as the green fluorescent protein also demonstrated pH‐dependent emission characteristics (Figure 6d and e). Thus, the preparation of binary polymer brushes enabled the detection of local pH by pH‐dependent variation in emission wavelength [93] …”