Plasma-Assisted Surface Modification of Polymers for Medical Applications

0085156 komvopoulos最近对具有化学惰性、低粘附（摩擦）、高耐磨性和良好生物相容性的聚合物的需求使得发现可以改变聚合物的物理化学表面特性而不影响其体积特性的表面处理成为必要。本研究是在等离子体辅助下对医学领域中使用的各种高分子材料的表面化学和微观结构进行修饰。（聚乙烯、聚氨酯、聚碳酸酯、聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯和聚苯乙烯）。拟议的研究将利用最先进的等离子体辅助表面改性、微分析和摩擦测试技术，适用于评估不同尺度下的材料响应。所提出的表面修饰方法的新颖性源于使用不同的等离子体成分以受控的方式修饰聚合物的表面化学（例如，在近表面区域制作低表面长链分子）。由于产生的表面性能和化学状态强烈依赖于控制工艺条件，因此将进行基础研究，阐明等离子体处理参数（如功率密度、等离子体成分、工作压力和气体流速）对聚合物的化学行为（如制备蛋白质友好分子、表面能和亲水性）和摩擦学性能的影响。最终目标是开发一种等离子体处理技术，能够改变各种医疗应用中使用的聚合物的表面化学、微观结构和机械/摩擦学性能。具体来说，除了深入了解等离子体处理聚合物的表面特性外，本研究得出的信息应该对制造用于无创心血管治疗的低摩擦导管和设计具有良好生物相容性的耐磨人工关节具有直接意义。

0085156KomvopoulosRecent demands for polymers exhibiting chemical inertness, low adhesion (friction), high wear resistance, and good biocompatibility have necessitated the discovery of surface treatments that can alter the physicochemical surface properties of polymers without affecting the bulk characteristics. This research is on plasma-assisted modification of the surface chemistry and microstructure of various polymer materials used in the medical field(i.e., polyethylene, polyurethane, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, and polystyrene). The proposed research will utilize state-of-the-art plasma-assisted surface modification, microanalysis, and tribotesting techniques suitable for evaluating the material response at different scales. The novelty of the proposed surface modification method stems from the use of different plasma compositions to modify, in a controlled fashion, the surface chemistry (e.g., crafting of low-surface long-chain molecules in the near-surface region) of the polymers. Since the resulting surface properties and chemical state strongly depend on controlling process conditions, basic research elucidating the effects of plasma treatment parameters (e.g., power density, plasma composition, working pressure, and gas flow rate) on the chemical behavior (e.g., crafting of protein friendly molecules, surface energy, and degree of hydrophilicity) and tribological properties of the polymers will be conducted. The ultimate objective is to develop a plasma treatment technique that enables modification of the surface chemistry, microstructure, and mechanical/tribological properties of polymers used in various medical applications. Specifically, in addition to obtaining insight into the surface characteristics of plasma-treated polymers, the information derived from this research should have direct implications to the fabrication of low-friction catheters for non-invasive cardiovascular treatment and design of wear-resistant artificial joints exhibiting good biocompatibility.