Inhibitory Effect of Hydrophilic Polymer Brushes on Surface-Induced Platelet Activation and Adhesion

Poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) brushes are successfully grown from unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (uPVC) by well‐controlled surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP). Molecular weights of the grafted PDMA brushes vary from ≈ 35 000 to 2 170 000 Da, while the graft density ranges from 0.08 to 1.13 chains · nm−2. The polydispersity of the grafted PDMA brushes is controlled within 1.20 to 1.80. Platelet activation (expression of CD62) and adhesion studies reveal that the graft densities of the PDMA brushes play an important role in controlling interfacial properties. PDMA brushes with graft densities between 0.35 and 0.50 chains · nm−2 induce a significantly reduced platelet activation compared to unmodified uPVC. Moreover, the surface adhesion of platelets on uPVC is significantly reduced by the densely grafted PDMA brushes. PDMA brushes that have high molecular weights lead to a relatively lower platelet activation compared to low‐molecular‐weight brushes. However, the graft density of the brush is more important than molecular weight in controlling platelet interactions with PVC. PDMA brushes do not produce any significant platelet consumption in platelet rich plasma. Up to a seven‐fold decrease in the number of platelets adhered on high graft density brushes is observed compared to the bare PVC surface. Unlike the bare PVC, platelets do not form pseudopodes or change morphology on PDMA brush‐coated surfaces. We have successfully grafted poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) brushes from an unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (uPVC) surface. The effect of graft density and molecular weight of PDMA brushes on platelet activation and adhesion was studied. While high‐molecular‐weight brushes reduced platelet activation, the grafting density proved more important. PDMA graft densities between 0.35 and 0.50 chains · nm−2 significantly reduced platelet activation and platelet interactions compared to unmodified uPVC.