Surface functionalization of polystyrene nanoparticles with liposaccharide monomers: Preparation, characterization and applications

Latex particles bearing carbohydrate species were prepared by emulsion copolymerization of styrene or methyl methacrylate with polymerizable liposaccharide surfactants; 11-(N-p-vinylbenzyl) amido undecanoyl maltobionamide (LIMA), 6-(2-methylpropenoyloxy)hexyl beta-D-cellobioside (CHMA) and 10-(2-methylpropenoyloxy)decyl beta-D-cellobiouronoside (CDMA). Due to their amphiphilic structure, these three monomers exhibit surface active properties in dilute solutions and mesomorphic properties in concentrated solutions. Their incorporation onto latex particles was performed according to a batch process or a seed polymerization process. The presence of the carbohydrate residues at the particle surface was directly observed by NMR. The potential application of these functionalized latexes in the biomedical diagnostic field was evaluated by studying the adsorption of bovine serum albumin, and by performing covalent binding of antibodies and single-stranded DNA fragments on their surface.