Quantifiable correlation of ToF‐SIMS and XPS data from polymer surfaces with controlled amino acid and peptide content

Peptide-coated surfaces are widely employed in biomaterial design, but quantifiable correlation between surface composition and biological response is challenging due to, for example, instrumental limitations, a lack of suitable model or limitations quantitatively correlating data from different analytical techniques. Here, we first establish reference material that allows control over amino acid content. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerisation used to prepare copolymer containing alkyne furan units with well-defined chain length composition. Huisgen Cu(I)-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction attach the azido-polyethyleneglycol-amide-modified pentafluoro-l-phenylalanine polymer. Different compositional ratios polymer provide varying content analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Nitrogen-related signals compared fluorine both Fluorine nitrogen techniques found be related compositions, homopolymer deviate this trend. The approach then translated heparin-binding peptide supports cell adhesion. Human embryonic stem cells cultured on presenting amounts show strong growth while maintaining pluripotency after 72 h culture. early adhesion at 24 can correlated logarithm normalised CH4N+ intensity ToF-SIMS data, which established as generalisable marker acids peptides. This work contributes ability use more quantitative manner analysis surfaces.