• 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.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.343-343
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• 2006

Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) was carried out to produce high-density poly(MPC) brush on silicon wafer. Frictional properties of poly(MPC) was investigated by by sliding a glass ball (${\phi}\;10\;nm$) on the substrates over a distance of 20 mm at a sliding velocity of 90 mm/min under loading of 0.49 N at 298 K. Higher friction coefficients were observed in dry N2 atmosphere and in toluene condition, whereas the friction coefficients decreased to 0.02 in humid air and in water. It is supposed that water-swollen poly(MPC) brush works as a lubricant to moderate the interaction between brush and probe.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.711-716
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• 2008

We synthesized gold nanonetwork using the amphiphilic polymer brush, poly(oxyethylene) containing decyltri(oxyethylene)thiomethyl ($C_{10}H_{21}(OCH_2CH_2)_3SCH_2-$) side groups, as a stabilizer and/or a template. When tetrabutylammonium borohydride solution in THF was added to a mixture solution of the polymer and $LiAuCl_4$ in THF, 0-D gold nanomaterials were obtained. However, when an aqueous solution of sodium borohydride was added, gold nanonetworks were synthesized. The composites composed of polymer/0-D gold nanomaterials and polymer/gold nanonetworks showed electrical conductivities of ${\sim}10^{-9}$ and ${\sim}10^{-3}S/cm$, respectively, which indicated that the gold nanonetworks increased the electrical conductivity.

• 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.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.488-498
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• 2000

Molecular bottle-brush was prepared by hydrogen-bonding between poly(4-vinylpyridine)(P4VP) as main chain and 3-pentadecylphenol (PDP) as amphiphilic side chain. Variation of long period ( $L_{p}$), order-disorder transition temperature ( $T_{ODT}$) and mesomorphic structure of bottle-brush were investigated by changing various mole ratio (x) of pyridine group in P4VP and PDP and molecular weight of P4VP. Upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behaviour was observed. For x 0.8-0.9, maximum critical temperature was found. As molecular weight of P4VP was increased, phase transition occurred at higher temperature. It was found that phase behaviour of the bottle-brush was affected by mobility of P4VP as well as size and regularity of lamellar structure. The $L_{p}$ determined from analysis of crystal structure was in the range of 35 $\AA$ and 40 $\AA$ and was more affected by the molecular weight of P4VP than by mole ratio (x). However, if the molecular weight of P4VP was high, LP value was little affected.ted.d.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.247-255
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• 2014

Charged polymer chains, i.e., polyelectrolytes, are known to show superior aqueous lubricating properties compared to those of neutral polymer chains, especially in brush conformation. This is primarily because of the incorporation of a large amount of counterions within the polymer layers and the consequently increased osmotic pressure. However, this effect is active only when the polymer chains remain immobilized even under tribostress, which is not realistic for high-contact pressure tribological applications, especially when they are irreversibly immobilized on tribopair surfaces. In contrast, with free polymers, which can be included as surface-active additives in the base lubricant (water), long-term lubricating performance based on "self-healing" properties is readily expected. In order to assess whether the superior aqueous lubricating properties of polyelectrolyte chains are valid for free polymers too, this study reviews recent studies on the tribological properties of many charged biopolymer and synthetic copolymers at a nonpolar, hydrophobic interface. In contrast to the irreversibly immobilized polyelectrolyte chains, free polyelectrolyte chains show inferior aqueous lubricating properties compared to their neutral counterparts owing to charge accumulation and the consequently impeded surface adsorption on the nonpolar surface. Nevertheless, bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM), a representative biopolymer, shows a sufficiently effective surface adsorption and aqueous lubricating capabilities even at neutral pH without losing the polyanionic characteristics.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.766-768
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• 2004

Rubbed films of a series of poly(p-phenylene 3,6-bis(4-(n-alkyloxy)phenyloxy)pyromellitimide)s (Cn-PMDA-PDA PIs), which are well-defined brush PIs composed of two aromatic-aliphatic bristles per repeat unit of a fully rodlike backbone, were investigated in detail using atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical retardation analysis and linearly polarized infrared (IR) spectroscopy in order to elucidate their surface morphology and molecular orientation. The liquid crystal (LC) alignment behavior and the anchoring energy of LC molecules on the rubbed films were also determined.

• 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.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.27-30
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• 2003

The effect of fabrication method of catalytic layer on electrode performance has been investigated. Brush, spray gun and screen printer were used as fabrication tool and catalytic layers were formed by several methods in screen printing. Direct screen printing on polymer membrane, screen printing on carbon paper, and their combined method were applied. In the electrode fabricated by the screen printing method, Pt loading of Pt/C catalysts could be cut down to 50%, compared with results by the brushing and spraying methods. The best result of electrode was obtained as 0.6 V, at 1 A/$\textrm{cm}^2$ when catalytic layer was formed by the combined way.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Rheology Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.133-136
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• 2002