Probing the physical origin of the anti-biofouling performance of synthetic polyzwitterions

Zwitterionic polymers have been widely promoted as effective antifouling agents due to the often-observed resilience of surfaces modified with zwitterionic moieties to the adhesion of proteins and microbial organisms. Nevertheless, a deep understanding of the relationship between zwitterion structure and fundamental properties, such as the degree of hydration or solubility, remains lacking. This project entails a systematic study of the interactions between zwitterionic polymers and surrounding water molecules, as conveyed by the chain dimensions of polyzwitterions in aqueous environments. By extracting and contrasting the effective solvent quality of polyzwitterions with different side chain chemistries, a clear relationship between zwitterion structure and solvent interactions will be established. Following comparison with observations from foulant adhesion studies will elucidate the connection between surface hydration and foulant repulsion, allowing for better design of anti-biofouling materials.