Controlling the adhesion of the diatom using poly(-isopropylacrylamide-–-(1-phenylethyl) acrylamide) films

A. L. Cordeiro (1) , M. E. Pettit (2) , M. E. Callow (2) , J. A. Callow (2) , C. Werner (1)

1 IPF - Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.
2 School of Biosciences

Poly(-isopropylacrylamide)-–-(1-phenylethyl) acrylamide [P(NIPAAm--PEAAm)] thermo-responsive thin films with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) adjusted to fit marine applications were used to investigate the effect of changes in the wetting properties of a surface on the adhesion of the diatom , an organism which forms slime films on surfaces immersed in an aquatic environment. Although the strength of attachment of cells was affected by whether the film was collapsed or expanded, no significant decrease in adhesion strength occurred upon temperature decrease. The effects were attributed to possible strong interactions between the hydrophobic segments of the responsive film when collapsed with components in the adhesive complex.

Mots clés: Adhesion; Diatoms; Lower critical solution temperature (LCST); Navicula perminuta; Stimuli; Thermo-responsive surfaces

A. L. Cordeiro, M. E. Pettit, M. E. Callow, J. A. Callow, C. Werner. Controlling the adhesion of the diatom using poly(-isopropylacrylamide-–-(1-phenylethyl) acrylamide) films. Biotechnology Letters, 2009, 32 (4), pp.489-495. ⟨10.1007/s10529-009-0190-3⟩. ⟨hal-00568370⟩