Biomaterials
SPR can be used to measure the interaction of polymer with micron thickness, which makes it a label free method to study the interaction between molecules and biomaterials. Therefore, SPR can also be used to control drug release, new coatings for cell and tissue engineering and industrial coatings.
Soft material is a general term commonly used for polymer materials, especially when dealing with materials in solution. Generally speaking, the term "soft material" is used in almost all materials in the literature that can be dissolved in solvents. The typical applications of soft materials under development are implant coatings and implants, biodegradable materials, intelligent materials for coatings (active anticorrosion), intelligent drug dosage, targeted drug delivery, two-dimensional cell growth matrix and other materials that interact or release substances in similar fields. In addition, these materials are sometimes used as barrier coatings (gas permeation barriers), display materials, organic electronics, OLEDs, organic solar cells and implant coatings.
Sensby SPR has been widely applied to the research of different nanomaterials, such as hydrogel for contact lenses. It has good biocompatibility, antibacterial and drug carrier function materials, and can trigger contact with microorganism on the surface. At the same time, Sensby SPR is also used to make new antifouling coatings for the marine environment to prevent the adhesion of algae, bacteria and shellfish attachment.
Sensby SPR technology can be used for material testing in liquid environment. It can also be used in the study of anti biosorption function, biocompatibility or bioactivity of bio coatings, and widely used in bio coatings. This technique can be used to study not only the characteristics of coatings (thickness and refractive index), but also the interaction, expansion or resistance of coatings.
Application of SPR in soft material research:
1. LBL layer-by-layer deposition monitoring
2. Monitoring stimuli-response
3. Monitoring coating deposition (in-situ or ex-situ)
4. Calculate the interaction dynamics or magnitude
5. Penetration monitoring of gas barrier
6. Monitoring formation of self-assembled layer or coating
7. Drug release from polymer matrix
The advantages of SPR in soft material research are as follows:
1. The expansion of water / solvent has no effect
2. Thickness of the polymer is 5µm
3. Thickness and RI can be measured by the same experiment as the interaction
4. Pure kinetics, unique reduction of environmental artefacts
5. On-line monitoring of nanotechnology (LbL)
6. Sensitivity
7. SPR substrate can be used to measure AFM, XPS, SEM, etc.
