Antiplatelet adhesion behavior of hyperbranched poly(l‐lactide)s containing glutamic acid terminal groups

ABSTRACT The surface properties and antiplatelet adhesion behavior of terminally functionalized hyperbranched poly(l‐lactide)s (HB PLLAn‐Glu, n = 5, 10, 20) were examined. Contact angle changes and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements indicated that the hydrated glutamic acid units in HB PLLAn‐Glu films migrated to the surface during immersing in water and unique microdomains were observed from the HB PLLA10‐Glu film after water immersion. HB PLLA10‐Glu and HB PLLA5‐Glu prevented platelet adhesion, but HB PLLA20‐Glu showed the typical platelet adhesion response for a hydrophobic surface. Both the high hydrophilicity and microdomain formation of HB PLLAn‐Glu contributed to the efficient antiplatelet adhesion behavior. The glutamic acid‐terminated HB PLLA10‐Glu films were more effective at preventing platelet adhesion than the 2‐methoxyethoxy‐terminated HB PLLA10 films. This study is the first example of platelet adhesion properties being controlled by the terminal functional groups and branching density of hyperbranched polymers. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 46910.