Methods for producing low binding surfaces

Abstract

Hydrophobic polymer surfaces whose level of protein binding is less than about 50-80 ng/cm 2 are achieved by: (1) applying a coating solution composed of a solvent and a non-ionic surfactant having a HLB number of less than 5 to the surface; and (2) drying the surface to remove the solvent and thereby bring the surfactant into direct contact with the hydrophobic polymer. The combination of a low HLB number and the drying step have been found to produce low binding surfaces which can withstand multiple washes with water and/or protein-containing solutions. Alternatively, the low binding surfaces can be produced by applying the non-ionic surfactant to the mold surfaces which contact molten polymer and form the polymer into a desired shape, e.g., into a multi-well plate, a pipette tip, or the like. Further, the low binding surfaces may be produced by incorporating non-soluble, non-ionic surfactants having an HLB number of less than or equal to 10 into a polymer blend prior to molding the article.

1 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . A method for making a product with a low-binding surface comprising:
 a. applying a coating to a hydrophobic surface;
 wherein the coating comprises a non-ionic surfactant; 
 wherein said non-ionic surfactant has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance number less than or equal to 5; 
 wherein said non-ionic surfactant has at least one hydrophilic element which can extend into an aqueous solution; and 
   b. bringing the surfactant into direct contact with the hydrophobic surface to bind the surfactant to the surface;
 with the proviso that no washing step with an organic solvent is performed after the surfactant is bound to the surface. 
   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74  with the further proviso that no glow discharge treatment step is performed to covalently attach the non-ionic surfactant to the surface. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the coated hydrophobic surface exhibits a level of binding of an organic material which is less than 0.5 times the level of binding exhibited by an uncoated surface. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the coated hydrophobic surface exhibits a level of binding of an organic material which is less than 0.3 times the level of binding exhibited by an uncoated surface. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the non-ionic surfactant has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance number which is less than or equal to 2.5. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block co-polymer. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the surfactant comprises polypropylene oxide. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the hydrophobic surface is a polymeric surface. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises polystyrene. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises polyolefin. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 76  wherein the organic material is a protein, a peptide, a nucleic acid, or a cell. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the organic material is a protein, a peptide, a nucleic acid, or a cell. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 86  wherein the organic material is an enzyme or an antibody. 
     
     
         88 . An apparatus comprising a hydrophobic surface which has been coated in accordance with the method of  claim 74 . 
     
     
         89 . The apparatus of  claim 88  wherein the apparatus comprises labware. 
     
     
         90 . The apparatus of  claim 89  wherein the labware comprises containers, multiwell strips, pipettes, pipette tips, membranes, reagent reservoirs, storage vessels, tubing, plates and dishes. 
     
     
         91 . The apparatus of  claim 90  wherein the plates comprise microtiter plates, polystyrene plates, polypropylene plates, polymethyl methacrylate plates, 24-well plates, 96-well plates and microtiter plates.