Electrochemical Coating with Poly(phenylene oxide) Films Bearing Oligoether Groups as a Tool for Elimination of Protein Adsorption to Electrode Surfaces

Abstract

Reported herein are the adsorption properties of bovine serum albumin to glassy carbon (GC) electrodes coated with poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) films formed by anodic polymerization of HOC₆H₄R in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), where R=o-, m-, and p-MeO- or m-Me(OCH₂CH₂)_nO- (n=1 - 4) group. Evaluation of the voltammetric response of caffeic acid demonstrated that a GC electrode coated with a PPO film derived from m-HOC₆H₄O(CH₂CH₂O)₄Me not only shows satisfactory electrochemical performance but also resists surface fouling due to protein adsorption. Coating with the film also proved to be useful in preventing the surface of a gold electrode from being fouled by protein adsorption.