Molecular surface tailoring of biomaterials via pulsed RF plasma discharges.

V. Panchalingam, B. Poon, H. H. Huo, C. R. Savage, R. B. Timmons, R. C. Eberhart

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A pulsed RF plasma glow discharge is employed to demonstrate molecular level controllability of surface film deposits. Molecular composition of plasma deposited films is shown to vary in a significant manner with the RF duty cycle. Three fluorocarbon monomers are used to illustrate the process. All three exhibit a trend towards increased surface CF2 content with decreasing pulsed RF duty cycle, including exclusion of oxygen. Significant variations in carbon-fluorine surface functionalities are obtained over a controllable range of film thickness. Film growth rate measurements reveal the occurrence of surface reactions during significant portions of the off portion of the duty cycle. Albumin adsorption on fluorocarbon-treated PET films is unchanged from PET controls for a 100-fold range of bulk concentrations and 60-fold range of adsorption times. However, increased retention of albumin is observed following incubation with protein-denaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate solution, the retention decreasing with increasing bulk concentration of albumin. The increased retention of albumin suggests the treated surfaces may have promise as biocompatible materials.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)131-145
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of biomaterials science. Polymer edition
Volume5
Issue number1-2
StatePublished - 1993

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics

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