Mussel-Inspired Copolyether Brushes: Synergistic Catechol-Amine Interactions for Enhanced Adhesion and Antifouling Performance.

Biofouling poses major challenges in marine and biomedical sectors. To overcome the substrate-specific limitations of conventional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coatings, we report herein a versatile, mussel-inspired anchoring strategy. Using catechol-amine functionalized copolyethers, we created substrate-independent antifouling PEG brushes. To elucidate the synergistic role of catechol and amine groups, three control copolymers (catechol-only, phenol-amine, and phenyl-amine) were synthesized via anionic ring-opening polymerization using a PEG macroinitiator. Comprehensive characterization revealed that catechol-amine synergy achieved the highest grafting density (0.82 chains/nm2) and superior antifouling efficacy. Notably, the phenol-amine variant showed higher grafting density than the phenyl-amine control but significantly worse antifouling performance. Suboptimal anchoring leaves exposed chemical motifs that inadvertently promote biofouling. This demonstrates that high grafting density alone cannot guarantee fouling resistance; the chemical integrity of the anchoring moiety is decisive. These findings underscore the catechol-amine platform as a critical requirement for high-performance, robust antifouling interfaces.