MOLECULAR ENGINEERING STUDIES ON NONTHROMBOGENIC BIOMATERIALS--A NOVEL CLASS OF NONTHROMBOGENIC BIOMATERIALS WITH ZWITTERIONIC STRUCTURE OF CARBOXYBETAINES

N,N-dimethyl-N-methacryloyloxyethyl-N-carboxyethyl ammonium (DMMCA) was graft-copolymerized onto the surface of segmented poly(ether urethane) (SPEU) and PE film. The carboxybetaine structure on SPEU and PE film surfaces was confirmed by ATR-FTIR, XPS and water contact angle measurements. Through the experiments with platelet adhesion and protein adhesion assay in vitro, the two materials studied, including poly-DMMCA gel, all show excellent nonthrombogenicity. This confirms once again that the zwitterionic molecular structure on the surfaces of materials is essential for improving their nonthrombogenicity and biocompatibility.