Electrospun catechol-modified poly(ethyleneglycol) nanofibrous mesh for anti-fouling properties

Electrospun nanofibrous mesh composed of catechol-conjugated 8-arm PEG (8cPEGa) and thiolated PLGA (PLGA-SH) was prepared with various blending ratios of PLGA-SH and 8cPEGa. Cross-linking between the two polymers via catechol-thiol reactions and catechol-catechol conjugation was performed by brief soaking with sodium periodate solution. The chemical conjugation of PLGA-SH and 8cPEGa in the nanofibrous mesh was confirmed by the spectral differences of the Raman spectra and changes in the thermal properties. The crosslinked meshes showed lower degradation rates and their fibrous morphologies remained intact even after 15 days. When the blend ratio of 8cPEGa was increased from 0 to 50%, the crosslinked meshes showed a dramatic decrease in the water-contact angles due to the surface-exposed PEG chains tethered on the mesh. The crosslinked meshes had superior anti-fouling effect on protein and mammalian cell binding in proportion to the amount of 8cPEGa in the mesh compared to non-crosslinked meshes.