• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1026-1030
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• 1999

The properties of semiflexible polymer brushes are studied by applying the classical limit of mean-field approach for chains with marginal chain stiffness. Using the mean-spherical Gaussian model, the most probable configuration for semiflexible chains is obtained, which reduces to the parabolic brush of Milner et al. [Mac-romolecules 1988, 21, 2610] in the flexible limit. From this configuration, equilibrium brush height as well as interactions between semiflexible brushes are estimated.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.12
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• pp.655-661
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• 2016

Polymer brush is a soft material unit tethered covalently on the surface of scaffolds. It can induce functional and structural modification of a substrate's properties. Such surface coating approach has attracted special attentions in the fields of stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine due to facile fabrication, usability of various polymers, extracellular matrix (ECM)-like structural features, and in vivo stability. Here, we summarized polymer brush-based grafting approaches comparing self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-based coating method, in addition to physico-chemical characterization techniques for surfaces such as wettability, stiffness/elasticity, roughness, and chemical composition that can affect cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation. We also reviewed recent advancements in cell biological applications of polymer brushes by focusing on stem cell differentiation and 3D supports/implants for tissue formation. Understanding cell behaviors on polymer brushes in the scale of nanometer length can contribute to systematic understandings of cellular responses at the interface of polymers and scaffolds and their simultaneous effects on cell behaviors for promising platform designs.

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.210-214
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• 2015

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.821-832
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.109-109
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• 2006

Flexible polymers with densely grafted side chains adopt the shape of cylindrical brushes, because the steric repulsion of the side chains overcomes the entropic restoring force of the main chain. Combined light-and neutron scattering measurements elucidate the extend of main chain and side chain stretching as function of side chain length. The application of cylindrical brushes as molecular actuators in response to external stimuli which is discussed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.2043-2046
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• 2012

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2021

The formation of hydrophilic surface based on polymers has received great attention due to the anti-adhesion of bacteria on solid substrates. Anti-adhesion coatings are aimed at suppressing the initial step of biofilm formation via non-cytotoxic mechanisms, and surfaces applied hydrophilic or ionic polymers showed the anti-adhesion effect for bioentities, such as proteins and bacteria. This is attributed to the formation of surface barrier from hydration layers, repulsions and osmotic stresses from polymer brushes, and electrostatic interactions between ionic polymers and cell surfaces. The antifouling polymer coating is usually fabricated by the grafting method through the bonding with functional groups on surfaces and the deposition method utilizing biomimetic anchors. This mini-review is a summary of representative antifouling polymers, coating strategies, and antibacterial efficacy. Furthermore, we will discuss consideration on the large area surface coating for application to public facilities and industry.