Microtiter-plate-based systems are unified platforms of high-throughput experimentation
(HTE). These polymeric devices are used worldwide on a daily basis—mainly in the pharmaceutical
industry—for parallel syntheses, reaction optimization, various preclinical studies
and high-throughput screening methods. Accordingly, laboratory automation today aims
to handle these commercially available multiwell plates, making developments focused
on their modifications a priority area of modern applied research. We performed the
covalent functionalization of the porous PVDF-membrane of microtiter filter plates
as the essence of conventional and common sandwich plate systems by introducing a
generalizable method. After surface-activation of the indifferent membrane polymer,
customizable functionalization becomes feasible by covalently attached monofunctional
molecular linkers. The study was designed with future adaptability, and thus, industrially
widespread atmospheric plasma and two different chemical treatments were investigated
and compared in terms of practical implementation, polarization effects, extent of
labeling, effects on morphology and porosity as well as on permeability. For critical
comparison, contact angle measurements, surface ATR-FTIR, 1H-NMR,
19F-NMR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and
permeability tests were used.
