A novel coating technology based upon polyatomic ions from plasma

等离子体聚合广泛应用于制造业，我们希望扩大等离子体涂层产品的范围。我们专注于医疗保健应用和化学传感领域的涂层。我们都有可能从开发有效、安全和低成本的技术中受益，这些技术可以解决抗生素耐药性（AMR）的上升;微生物对抗生素产生耐药性。正如Jim O 'Neil勋爵在他的开创性报告《2016年全球应对耐药感染》中所指出的那样，AMR可能是对人类健康的最大长期威胁：据估计，到2050年，如果没有新的重大干预措施，每年将有多达1000万人死于AMR。我们选择的传感应用是放射性废物，增强的传感可以提高安全性，保护环境和公众。为了实现快速影响，我们将积极加速这种等离子体技术的利用和转化，与主项目平行进行3个示范项目。这些项目旨在完成TRL 4的技术开发，并将该技术介绍给核安全行业和医疗保健行业的潜在最终用户。与Kratos Analytical的合作将为该技术的更广泛宣传提供一个平台。我们将进行一个概念验证演示项目，将等离子体胺（TREN）涂层应用于石英晶体微天平的表面，以检测高锝酸盐阴离子（235 U的裂变产物）。在钻孔中进行稳健和可靠的传感以及在线过程监测将提高核工业证明符合法定要求并提供潜在泄漏检测预警的能力。我们预计，基于尼克·埃文斯博士合成的新型单体，我们可以制造对目前采用的方法具有更高特异性和灵敏度的在线传感器。等离子体涂层也可以应用于磁珠，这将提供一种新的方法，用于从废物流中修复高锝酸盐。在另外两个示范项目中，我们将测试新型等离子体抗微生物表面，以对抗最常与医疗器械和伤口定植相关的病原体。博士生将与Achyat Guleri博士（布莱克浦教学医院的顾问微生物学家和临床主任）一起探索一个特别有趣的语音假体应用，其中硅胶很容易被念珠菌定殖。我们看到这些表面（用作敷料）在伤口治疗中的市场。例如，烧伤伤口特别容易细菌定植。（含银敷料已经使用了大约二十年，但最近出现了关于银对哺乳动物细胞的毒性和使用银的总体益处的问题。在这种情况下，一氧化氮（NO）释放表面可以提供一种毒性较小但同样有效的方法。糖尿病伤口（CA。200- 300，000 pa）提供了一种替代目标，其中感染是伤口无法愈合的常见原因。另一个目标是医院获得性感染，这花费了NHS的费用。每年10亿英镑，其中约24%发生在手术部位。

Plasma polymerisation is widely used in manufacturing and we would hope to extend the range of products that are plasma coated. We have focused on coatings in healthcare applications and in chemical sensing. We are all likely to be beneficiaries from the development of effective, safe and low-cost technologies that address the rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR); microbes that develop resistance to antibiotics. As identified by Lord Jim O'Neil in his seminal report TACKLING DRUG-RESISTANT INFECTIONS GLOBALLY, 2016, AMR presents perhaps the greatest long-term threat to human health: it is estimated that up to 10 million people per year will die from AMR by 2050, without significant new interventions. The sensing application we have chosen is radioactive waste, where enhanced sensing increases safety and protects the environment and the public.To achieve rapid impact, we will actively accelerate utilisation and translation of this plasma technology, by conducting in parallel to the main project, 3 demonstrator projects. These are designed to complete technology development up to TRL 4 and to introduce the technology to potential end users in the nuclear safety industry and the healthcare sector. The collaboration with Kratos Analytical will provide a platform for a much broader advertisement of the technology.We will conduct a proof-of-concept demonstrator project, applying plasma amine (TREN) coatings to the surface of a quartz crystal microbalance in order to detect the pertechnetate anion (a fission product of 235U). Robust and reliable sensing in bore holes as well as in-line process monitoring will enhance the nuclear industry's ability to demonstrate compliance with statutory requirements and provide early warning of potential leak detection. We anticipate that based upon the novel monomers synthesised by Dr Nick Evans we can fabricate on-line sensors with greater specificity and sensitivity to currently employed methods. The plasma coatings could also be applied to magnetic beads which would offer a novel method for pertechnetate remediation from waste streams. Further spin-offs include applications in medical sensing, where amine surfaces are used to immobilise molecules on to surfaces.In two further demonstrator projects, we will test novel plasma anti-microbial surfaces against pathogens that are most frequently associated with medical devices and wound colonisation. The PhD student will explore with Dr Achyat Guleri (a Consultant Microbiologist and Clinical Director at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals) a particularly interesting application in voice prosthesis, where the silicone is very readily colonised by Candida. We see a market for these surfaces (applied as dressings) in the treatment of wounds. Burn wounds, for example, are particularly prone to bacterial colonisation. (Dressings containing Ag have been used for about two decades, but recently questions about Ag toxicity to mammalian cells and overall benefit from the use of Ag have arisen.) In this context, nitric-oxide (NO) release surfaces could provide a less toxic and yet equally effective approach. Diabetic wounds (ca. 200-300,000 pa in the UK) provide an alternative target, where infection is a common reason for wounds failing to heal. A further target is hospital acquired infections which cost the NHS ca. £1Bn pa and approximately 24% of these are at the surgical site.