Self-assembly, antipolyelectrolyte effect, and nonbiofouling properties of polyzwitterions.

An explanation of the unique nonbiofouling properties of polyzwitterions (PZ) is proposed [in this paper, the term "polyzwitterion" is preferred to "polybetain"]. The existence of an osmotic component of the driving force of the antipolyelectrolyte effect (APE) and the parameters governing this phenomenon are quantitatively established. The correlation between this effect, which is specific of PZ only, and the PZ nonbiofouling properties is grounded.