Surface-confined macromolecules known as polymer brushes are being increasing applied to a variety of areas. As more information is gained on the molecular structure of polymer brushes and how they respond to environmental stimuli, these applications are becoming wider ranging and better defined. This review seeks to highlight recent contributions in two broad areas: biotechnology and nanotechnology. These are positions in which polymer brushes are well-suited to offer performance gains. Examples are given that describe the benefits of using a well defined, covalently bound, and densely grafted polymer including in areas such as prevention of bacterial adherence, cell attachment, electrochemistry, and formation of colloidal crystals.

Polyurea-based synthetic glycopolymers containing sulfated glucose, mannose, glucosamine, or lactose as pendant groups have been synthesized by step-growth polymerization of hexamethylene diisocyanate and corresponding secondary diamines. The obtained polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The nonsulfated polymers showed similar results to the commercially available biomaterial polyurethane TECOFLEX in a platelet adhesion assay. The average degree of sulfation after reaction with SO₃ was calculated from elemental analysis and found to be between three and four −OSO₃ groups per saccharide. The blood-compatibility of the synthetic polymers was measured using activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, thrombin time, anti-IIa, and anti-Xa assays. Activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time results indicated that the mannose and lactose based polymers had the highest anticoagulant activities among all the sulfated polymers. The mechanism of action of the polymers appears to be mediated via an anti-IIa pathway rather than an anti-Xa pathway.