IMPROVEMENT OF POLYURETHANE SURFACE BIOCOMPATIBILITY BY PLASMA AND ION BEAM TECHNIQUES

Abstract

A wide variety of gas phase excited species and ions with kinetic energies from 1–107 eV increasingly are being used for the growth and modification of polymer interfaces. Ions can be used to deposit thin layers or to expose fresh interfaces by sputtering; induce specific chemical functionalities to a surface and create micron- and nanometer-scale interface structures. In our work we used surface treatments by helium plasma at atmospheric pressure and Ar+ ion implantation in order to increase biocompatibility of a new biodegradable polyurethane with lactate segment, poly(lactaturethane), films surface suitable for tissue replacement The results obtained for poly(lactaturethane) films was compared with that obtained for the films of poly(esterurethane) precursor. The in vitro tests refers to the films structure and surface properties by: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-Ray diffraction (WAXRD), attenuated total reflectance Fourier Transform InfraRed (ATR-FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM); and thermodynamics of energy adhesion by contact angle measurements. The in vivo biocompatibility tests of polyurethanes were performed by intradermic implants in lumbosacral region on adult rabbits. Histological tests reveals an important increase of poly(lactaturethane) surface activation by Ar+ ion beam irradiation confirmed by formation of a high functionalized surface which may increase the endothelial cell adhesion.