POS8-1246
Drug releasing and antifouling coacervate interface for medical implants
Topic
S8. Frontiers of Functional Polymers in Biology and Medicine
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
young kim (Seoul National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Conventional surface modification strategies typically achieve multifunctionality by sequentially integrating multiple coating layers or functional components, resulting in increased fabrication complexity and limited versatility. Developing a simple strategy that simultaneously enables antifouling and localized drug delivery therefore remains an important challenge for next-generation implantable biomedical devices. Herein, we present PACE (Polyelectrolyte Assembly via Coordination and Electrostatics), a coacervate-driven polymer interface engineering strategy that integrates electrostatic complex coacervation with catechol–metal coordination to construct multifunctional coatings on titanium. Catechol-functionalized fucoidan and poly(L-lysine) spontaneously undergo electrostatic complexation to form an adhesive polyelectrolyte coacervate. The coacervate assembles onto titanium, where catechol groups establish metal coordination to anchor the coating. In this hierarchical assembly process, electrostatic complexation directs coacervate formation, whereas catechol–metal coordination reinforces interfacial immobilization, enabling rapid formation of conformal polymer coatings. The coacervate-coated interface suppressed nonspecific protein adsorption, bacterial attachment, biofilm formation, and fibroblast and inflammatory cell adhesion, demonstrating antifouling, anti-fibrotic, and anti-inflammatory performance. Moreover, the coacervate serves as a drug reservoir and can be transformed into polymeric microcapsules for sustained drug release, extending the same assembly principle from surface modification to colloidal drug delivery. By integrating polyelectrolyte complexation, adhesive coacervation, and metal coordination within a single material platform, PACE establishes a versatile strategy for programmable polymer interfaces bridging interfacial stabilization and colloidal drug delivery for implantable biomaterials.
