Synthesis of an amphiphilic glucose-carrying graft copolymer and its use for membrane surface modification

A graft copolymer of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with a glucose-carrying methacrylate, 3-O-methacryloyl-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-glucofuranose, was synthesized via the atom transfer radical polymerization technique with commercial PVDF as the macroinitiator. After a treatment with 88% formic acid, the isopropylidenyl groups of the precursor graft copolymer [poly(vinylidene fluoride)-g-poly(3-O-methacryloyl-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene- D-glucofuranose)] were converted into hydroxyl groups, and this produced an amphiphilic graft copolymer (PVDF-g-PMAG) [poly(vinylidene fluoride)-g-poly(3-O-methacryloyl-α,β-D-glucopyranose)] with glycopolymer side chains and a narrow molecular weight distribution (weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight < 1.29). This glucose-carrying graft copolymer was characterized with Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. A novel porous membrane prepared from blends of PVDF with PVDF-g-PMAG via an immersion-precipitation technique exhibited significantly enhanced hydrophilicity and an anti-protein-adsorption property. The surface chemical composition and morphology of the membrane were studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively.