Surface Properties and Antimicrobial Activity of Poly(sulfur-co-1,3-diisopropenylbenzene) Copolymers

摘要

Poly(sulfur-co-1,3-diisopropenyl benzene) copolymers with varying compositions are synthesized from elemental sulfur and 1,3-diisopropenyl benzene by melt polymerization. The resulting polymers are spin-coated onto silicon wafers, and their thin-film properties (thickness, surface composition, hydrophobicity, swellability, roughness, and morphology) are studied. The surface composition of the polymer films (determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) indicates that the carbon-containing repeat units of the polymer segregate to the air-polymer interface, so that the resulting surfaces are hydrophobic. This is in line with results from surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy measurements, which indicate that the materials are protein-adhesive. Atomic force microscopy reveals that all materials are quite rough and show signs of microphase separation. Antimicrobial assays reveal that the materials are moderately active against Escherichia coli.