SURFACE PROPERTIES AND TISSUE COMPATIBILITY OF NH3-PLASMA MODIFIED POLYETHYLENTEREPHTALAT MEMBRANES

Abstract

Microwave surface plasma treatment was used to improve the tissue compatibility of polymeric membranes. Changes of surface properties, adhesion and spreading of human skin fibroblasts were studied on ammonia-plasma modified polyethylentetephtalat (PET) membranes. The variation of the microwave (MW)-plasma parameters - duration, feed-gas composition (Ar/NH3) and microwave power – caused a significant change of the physicochemical surface properties. An enhanced cell-surface interaction was observed based on the number of adhering fibroblasts, but also on morphological criteria including overall cell morphology. It was found that fibroblasts adsorbed better on plasma modified hydrophilic surfaces with a relatively high amine content than on the original membrane.