Abstract
Two series of functional polymers, α,ω-bi[2,4-dinitrophenyl][poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-methoxystyrene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)] (DNP-PEO-P2MS-PEO-DNP) and α,ω-bi[2,4-dinitrophenyl caproic][poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-methoxystyrene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)] (CDNP-PEO-P2MS-PEO-CDNP), were synthesized by anionic living polymerization. The polymers were characterized by FT-IR,
1
H-NMR and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). The molecular weight distributions for the lower molecular weight functional polymers were slightly broad (1.3-1.5). However, the molecular weight distributions for higher molecular weight polymers were narrower (1.1-1.2). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies showed thermal transitions indicative of the presence of microphases in the polymer solid state. The polymers were white powders and soluble in tetrahydrofuran. The binding affinity of DNP-PEO-P2MS-PEO-DNP ligands towards anti DNP IgE was determined by titrations with fluorescently labeled FITC-IgE. A water soluble CDNP-PEO-P2MS-PEO-CDNP/DMEG (dimethoxyethylene glycol) complex binds and achieves steady state binding with solution IgE within a few seconds. This strongly suggests that CDNP functional polymers with improved water solubility have potential in therapeutics. Higher molecular weight (water insoluble) CDNP-PEO-P2MS-PEO-CDNP polymers were electrosprayed as fibers (500 nm) on silicon surface. Fluorescence spectroscopy clearly showed that RBL mast cells were interacting with the fibers suggesting that the cell-surface receptors were clustered along the fiber surface. These observations suggest that the functional polymers hold promise for developing an antibody detection device.