The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Water at biointerfaces exhibits fundamentally different behavior compared to bulk water, partitioning into free, intermediate, and non-freezing states. These hydration states influence the initial interactions with proteins, shaping downstream biological responses. The states of hydration water were characterized using a variety of analytical techniques. We found that the intermediate water plays a key role in controlling protein adsorption/desorption/denaturation and cell adhesion at biointerfaces, thereby contributing to enhanced biocompatibility. The concept of intermediate water, which is commonly observed in both hydrated bio(macro)molecules and synthetic biocompatible materials, offers novel insights into the polymer design for biomedical applications. Recent references: Polym. J. (2026), DOI: 10.1038/s41428-025-01139-0, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 147, 22161 (2025). Nature Biomed. Eng. in press. (2025). Langmuir, 41, 8301 (2025). Macromolecules, 58, 8821 (2025).