Adsorption of fucoidan and chitosan sulfate on chitosan modified PET films monitored by QCM-D

The adsorption behavior of fucoidan as well as chitosan derivatives (chitosan sulfate) on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) model film surface was studied using the quartz crystal microbalance technique. These systems were chosen for this study due to their promising biocompatible properties. Moreover, fucoidan and chitosan sulfate have promising anticoagulant properties and represent an alternative to heparin treatment of vascular grafts. As a first step, PET foils were activated by alkaline hydrolysis to increase their hydrophilicity. From these foils, model PET films were prepared by the spin coating technique on a silica quartz crystal. The selected polysaccharides (chitosan, fucoidan, and chitosan sulfate) were adsorbed from aqueous solutions on the PET surfaces. The adsorption was monitored using a quartz crystal microbalance with a dissipation unit. The surface chemistry and morphology of the chitosan/fucoidan or chitosan/chitosan sulfate coated PET-H films was analyzed using XPS and AFM. It was found that chitosan/fucoidan films were thinner and more compressed, while in the case of chitosan/chitosan sulfate, large amounts of chitosan sulfate were adsorbed, indicating a loose and thick adsorbed film.