Robust, anti-biofouling 2D nanogel films from poly( N -vinyl caprolactam- co -vinylimidazole) polymers

In analogy with adsorbed protein films, we have fabricated a family of 2D nanofilms composed of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam-co-vinylimidazole) (PNVCL) nanogels. NVCL was copolymerized with 1-vinylimidazole (VIM), and then cross-linked with α,ω-dibromoalkanes with 2 to 8 carbons via quaternization to form the nanogels. The swelling ratio of the gels was precisely controlled by regulating the inter-chain spacing of the polymers at the level of the …