Synthesis of an amphiphilic glucose‐carrying graft copolymer and its use for membrane surface modification

Abstract

Abstract A graft copolymer of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with a glucose‐carrying methacrylate, 3‐ O ‐methacryloyl‐1,2:5,6‐di‐ O ‐isopropylidene‐ D ‐glucofuranose, was synthesized via the atom transfer radical polymerization technique with commercial PVDF as the macroinitiator. After a treatment with 88% formic acid, the isopropylidenyl groups of the precursor graft copolymer [poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐ g ‐poly(3‐ O ‐methacryloyl‐1,2:5,6‐di‐ O ‐isopropylidene‐ D ‐glucofuranose)] were converted into hydroxyl groups, and this produced an amphiphilic graft copolymer (PVDF‐ g ‐PMAG) [poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐ g ‐poly(3‐ O ‐methacryloyl‐α,β‐D‐glucopyranose)] with glycopolymer side chains and a narrow molecular weight distribution (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight < 1.29). This glucose‐carrying graft copolymer was characterized with Fourier transform infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. A novel porous membrane prepared from blends of PVDF with PVDF‐ g ‐PMAG via an immersion–precipitation technique exhibited significantly enhanced hydrophilicity and an anti‐protein‐adsorption property. The surface chemical composition and morphology of the membrane were studied with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008