POLYMERVERZWEIGUNGEN ZUR IMMOBILISIERUNG VON MOLEKÜLEN AUF OBERFLÄCHEN ODER SUBSTRATEN, WOBEI DIE POLYMERE WASSERLÖSLICHE ODER WASSERDISPERGIERBARE SEGMENTE UND SONDEN AUFWEISEN

摘要

Sensors for determining the presence and concentration of bio-molecules in a biological sample are provided in the form of polymer brushes, which comprise a substrate having a surface that is modified with a water-dispersible or water-soluble polymer segment having functional groups that bind probes. The method of synthesis of such sensors preferably includes use of controlled free radical polymerization techniques, and in particular the use of an iniferter initiator, which allows for controlled architecture polymers to modify the surface of the substrate. In this manner functional groups in the polymer chain are removed from the surface, which allows for solution chemistry to be more realistically reproduced with the benefits of a solid bound probe.