AVS 49th International Symposium
    Biomaterials Tuesday Sessions
       Session BI-TuP

Paper BI-TuP10
Plasma Treatment of Plastics to Reduce Water Adhesion and Bio-fouling

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B2

Session: Biointerfaces and Surfaces I
Presenter: M.J. Neumann, University of Illinois at Urbana
Authors: M.J. Neumann, University of Illinois at Urbana
P.J.A. Fackler, University of Illinois at Urbana
D.N. Ruzic, University of Illinois at Urbana
Correspondent: Click to Email
Polymers have become a part of our everyday lives for use in a wide range of applications. This is due to polymers exhibiting high strength with little weight, wide range of flexibility, ease of formability, and economics of production. However, processes designed to achieve the desired surface properties of a polymer can comprimise the overall bulk material. The ability to alter the surface of the polymer while leaving the underlying bulk material unchanged has a large potential for development in the area of biomaterials. By modifying the surface of a polymeric material so as to impede water adhesion, the ability of bacterial and cell growth and hence, infection, can be minimized on those surfaces that are incorporated into biological systems. Surface modification was accomplished via plasma processing in a commerical size plasma etching device which achieves plasma densities and and electron temperatures up to 10@super 11@ cm@super -3@ and 4 eV. The desired degree of change is controlled by macroscopic external controls, rather than invasive internal modifications. This process lends itself well for use in exisiting plasma processing systems. Water contact measurements have been taken before and after treatment of HDPE that show a change from a pretreatment of 85@super o@ to post treatment of near 0@super o@ and 0@super o@ angles, which corresponds to a dramatic change in surface energy of the polymer. Video of the surface interaction with water shows drops rolling off the material. Applications of the process includ intubation tubes, blood vials, shunts, splints, and many other biomedical devices.