TY - JOUR
T1 - AFM for Nanomechanical Assessment of Polymer Overcoatings on Nanoparticle-Decorated Biomaterials
AU - Wood, Jonathan
AU - Palms, Dennis
AU - Dabare, Ruvini
AU - Vasilev, Krasimir
AU - Bright, Richard
PY - 2024/9/2
Y1 - 2024/9/2
N2 - Nanoparticle adhesion to polymer and similar substrates may be prone to low nano-Newton forces, disrupting the surface bonds and patterning, potentially reducing the functionality of complex surface patterns. Testing this, a functionalised surface reported for biological and medical applications, consisting of a thin plasma-derived oxazoline-based film with 68 nm diameter covalently bound colloidal gold nanoparticles attached within an aqueous solution, underwent nanomechanical analysis. Atomic Force Microscopy nanomechanical analysis was used to quantify the limits of various adaptations to these nanoparticle-featured substrates. Regular and laterally applied forces in the nano-Newton range were shown to de-adhere surface-bound gold nanoparticles. Applying a nanometre-thick overcoating anchored the nanoparticles to the surface and protected the underlying base substrate in a one-step process to improve the overall stability of the functionalised substrate against lower-range forces. The thickness of the oxazoline-based overcoating displayed protection from forces at different rates. Testing overcoating thickness ranging from 5 to 20 nm in 5 nm increments revealed a significant improvement in stability using a 20 nm-thick overcoating. This approach underscores the importance of optimising overcoating thickness to enhance nanoparticle-based surface modifications’ durability and functional integrity.
AB - Nanoparticle adhesion to polymer and similar substrates may be prone to low nano-Newton forces, disrupting the surface bonds and patterning, potentially reducing the functionality of complex surface patterns. Testing this, a functionalised surface reported for biological and medical applications, consisting of a thin plasma-derived oxazoline-based film with 68 nm diameter covalently bound colloidal gold nanoparticles attached within an aqueous solution, underwent nanomechanical analysis. Atomic Force Microscopy nanomechanical analysis was used to quantify the limits of various adaptations to these nanoparticle-featured substrates. Regular and laterally applied forces in the nano-Newton range were shown to de-adhere surface-bound gold nanoparticles. Applying a nanometre-thick overcoating anchored the nanoparticles to the surface and protected the underlying base substrate in a one-step process to improve the overall stability of the functionalised substrate against lower-range forces. The thickness of the oxazoline-based overcoating displayed protection from forces at different rates. Testing overcoating thickness ranging from 5 to 20 nm in 5 nm increments revealed a significant improvement in stability using a 20 nm-thick overcoating. This approach underscores the importance of optimising overcoating thickness to enhance nanoparticle-based surface modifications’ durability and functional integrity.
KW - AFM
KW - atomic force microscopy
KW - lateral force microscopy
KW - MePPOx
KW - nanoparticles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205097780&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/NHMRC/1194466
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/DP180101254
U2 - 10.3390/nano14181475
DO - 10.3390/nano14181475
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85205097780
SN - 2079-4991
VL - 14
JO - Nanomaterials
JF - Nanomaterials
IS - 18
M1 - 1475
ER -