Solid-Phase Support Block Polymer Coating Nonspecific Adsorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid-phase supports for detecting and separating target substances, such as proteins and nucleic acids, face issues with nonspecific adsorption of target substances and impurities, which hampers detection accuracy and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A solid-phase support is developed with a block polymer coating comprising a hydrophilic structural unit and a structural unit with reactive functional groups, where the content ratio of reactive functional groups to the total structural units is between 0.03 and 0.25, and the polymer density on the surface is 0.1 polymers/nm2 or more, facilitating easy ligand binding and reducing nonspecific adsorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a polymer brush is formed on the solid-phase support surface, then nonspecific adsorption is suppressed, but ligand binding becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer brush is designed with non-uniform composition featuring a first block with hydrophilic groups and a second block with reactive functional groups. This local quality differentiation allows the hydrophilic block to suppress nonspecific adsorption while the reactive functional group block facilitates ligand binding, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite polymer structure combining two distinct blocks with different functions: one block provides anti-nonspecific adsorption properties through hydrophilic groups, while the other block provides ligand binding capability through reactive functional groups. This composite material approach allows both contradictory functions to coexist in a single polymer brush system.
2Ease of manufacture
If the content ratio of reactive functional groups is increased, then ligand binding is improved, but nonspecific adsorption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer brush is designed with non-uniform composition featuring a first block with hydrophilic groups and a second block with reactive functional groups. This local quality differentiation allows the hydrophilic block to suppress nonspecific adsorption while the reactive functional group block facilitates ligand binding, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by concentrating reactive functional groups in only a portion of the polymer brush (the second block) rather than distributing them uniformly throughout. This allows sufficient ligand binding activity in the reactive block while the hydrophilic first block maintains suppression of nonsspecific adsorption, achieving the desired balance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach allows for effective binding of ligands to the solid-phase support while minimizing nonspecific adsorption of target substances and impurities, enhancing detection sensitivity and reducing noise in the process.
Implementation Method 1
a first block constituted from repetitions of a hydrophilic structural unit
Implementation Method 2
a second block constituted from repetitions of a structural unit having a reactive functional group
Data Source
AI summary
A solid-phase support, formed by binding a chain polymer at least to the surface, wherein the chain polymer is a block polymer comprising a first block constituted from repetitions of a hydrophilic structural unit and a second block constituted from repetitions of a structural unit having a reactive functional group, a content ratio of the number of moles “a” of the reactive functional group contained in the chain polymer and the number of moles “b” of the whole structural unit contained in the chain polymer, (a/b), is from 0.03 to 0.25, and a density of the chain polymer occupying the surface of the solid-phase support is 0.1 polymers/nm2 or more.