Intermediate water (IW), which is formed not only by biocompatible polymers such as
poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA), but also by biomacromolecules, plays a key role
in determining the biocompatibility of synthetic polymers. In this study, we compare
the well-defined linear and cyclic PMEA using differential scanning calorimetry and
atomic force microscopy. This study aims to clarify the role of the chain-end effect
in IW formation to establish design guidelines for biomaterials.
Key words
intermediate water - hydration state - chain-end effect - poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate)
- cyclic polymers - interfacial structures