Perforated polyester nanomebranes as templates of electroactive and robust free-standing films

Abstract

Robust and flexible free-standing films made of spin-coated poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanolayers have been prepared. A steel sheet coated with a sacrificial layer of PEDOT:poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and a spincoated nanolayer of PLA was used as working electrode for the anodic polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene monomer. The latter was only successfully accomplished when rounded-shape nanoperforations of average diameter 4914 nm were introduced into PLA layers, which was achieved by combining the phase segregation processes undergone by immiscible PLA:poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mixtures with selective solvent etching to remove PVA domains. Nanoperforations allowed the utilization of the semiconducting PEDOT:PSS sacrificial layer to immobilize the electropolymerized PEDOT chains. Morphological and topographical studies show the templating effect of PEDOT layers. In addition of flexibility and mechanical strength, free-standing 5-layered films present good electrochemical activity, evidencing their potential ability to reversibly exchange ions with the medium.These properties offer important advantages with respect to those of neat PLA and supported PEDOT films, as has been illustrated by cell culture and protein adsorption assays. Cell cultures evidenced the superior behavior of 5-layered films as bioactive platforms for fibroblast and epithelial cells proliferation, while adsorption assays reflected their potential as selective bioadhesive surfaces for protein separation.

Free-Standing Faradaic Motors Based on Biocompatible Nanoperforated Poly(lactic Acid) Layers and Electropolymerized Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)

“…PEDOT was anodically polymerized using a constant potential of +1.40 V and adjusting the polymerization charge to 270 mC. As it was proved in previous work, 37 the anodic polymerization is successful due to the nanoperforations of the PLA layer, which allow the 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer to reach the internal semiconducting layer (i.e. PEDOT:PSS sacrificial layer or the previously electropolymerized PEDOT layer).…”

“…layerby-layer SEM and AFM studies) and spectroscopic (i.e. layer-by-layer FTIR and Raman studies) characterization of 5-pPLA/PEDOT membranes was provided in our previous manuscript 37 and, therefore, in the rest of this study we have focused on the mechanical, eletrochemical and chemo-electro-mechanical response of the self-standing membrane.…”

Manufactured Flexible Electrodes for Dopamine Detection: Integration of Conducting Polymer in 3D‐Printed Polylactic Acid

“…The wettability of 3D‐printed PLA films, WCA = 73º ± 1º, is similar to that reported for spin coated PLA films (WCA = 72º ± 4º). [ 16 ] Incorporation of chemically polymerized PEDOT using an organic solvent resulted in a significant increment of the wettability, the WCA decreasing to 57º ± 1º. This feature is expected to favor the detection of DA in water‐rich biological environments.…”

Biomimetic Nanomembranes: An Overview

“…They include epoxy resins [88], polysulfone [90], polyethersulfone [7], polyacrylate [91], polycarbonate [90], polystyrene [92], nylon [93], cellulose [94], nitrocellulose [87], generally polysaccharides [19], polyamide [90], polyimide [95], polydopamine [96], polypropylene [90], polyurethane [19], poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) [97], polyvinylchloride (PVC) [90], polyester [98], polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon) [90], poly(vinylidene fluoride) [90], poly(lactic acid) [99], polyacrylonitrile (PAN) [90], polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [90] and many more. There is a host of convenient macromolecules besides those listed here and their systematic classification falls by far outside the scope of this work.…”