Polymeric surfaces with anticoagulant, antifouling, and antimicrobial attributes

Abstract

Recent advances in developments of anticoagulant, antifouling, and antimicrobial polymeric surfaces with the focus on surface modifications of polymeric materials as well as the influence of nanosize materials on interactions with biological systems are discussed. Controllable surface modifications using microwave plasma reactions in the presence of maleic anhydride provides a platform for attaching acid groups to inert polymeric surfaces which serves as a reactive anchor for further reactions. To effectively attach bioactive species inhibiting interactions with biological systems it is often necessary to attach a molecular spacer that facilitates mobility to terminal bioactive species.