Multilayer Assembly of Tannic Acid and an Amphiphilic Copolymer Poloxamer 188 on Planar Substrates toward Multifunctional Surfaces with Discrete Microdome-Shaped Features

Tannic acid (TA) is a natural polyphenol compound with a broad spectrum of biological activities, the most notable of which being antioxidation. Poloxamer 188 (P188), a synthetic triblock copolymer of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide), is amphiphilic in nature and best known for its ability to seal structurally damaged cellular membranes. The integration of both substances onto planar substrates could bring a new option for multifunctional coatings that are advantageous for implantable biomedical devices. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of multilayer assembly of TA/P188 toward such a coating based on hydrogen bonding between phenolic hydroxyls of TA and ether groups of P188, and the unique surface feature it generates. The interactions between these two compounds were studied both in solution and in substrate-supported layer-by-layer assembly. The multilayer assembly process exhibits an exponential growth pattern as characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. Morphologically unique, microdome-shaped surface features emerge and evolve with the number of layers assembled. Such features bring a reservoir function to this coating, as demonstrated by the loading of hydrophobic nile red dye. Furthermore, the presence of TA in the multilayers was revealed by silver nitrate staining, and its antioxidation activity was demonstrated through a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl free-radical scavenging assay.