Synthesis of PVDF-Based Graft Copolymeric Antifouling Membranes Showing Affinity-Driven Immobilization of Nucleobases

Synthesis of different poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-grafted amphiphilic random ter-/bicopolymers containing reactive poly(furfuryl methacrylate) or thermoresponsive poly(diethyleneglycol methyl ether methacrylate), and so forth as constituents was successfully carried out by atom transfer radical polymerization in homogeneous solution and thoroughly characterized. Post-polymerization modification of the graft copolymers (pendant furan rings) was subsequently carried out by the Diels–Alder reaction with maleimide to introduce imidodicarbonyl moieties capable of exerting affinity interaction with melamine or nucleobases. Membranes having surface-enriched polar/hydrophilic moieties and stimuli-dependent pore sizes were fabricated by breath figure or immersion-precipitation techniques. The synthesized graft copolymeric membranes showed superior antifouling properties than similar pure PVDF membranes and also exhibited preferential immobilization of adenine/melamine over uracil from aqueous solution due to complementary supramolecular interactions. In a filtration experiment, the synthesized graft copolymeric membrane (100 mg) has shown ∼60% RNA immobilization from 5 mL of 5 μM aqueous solution.