title: Control of the blood-polymer interface by plasma treatment.
abstract: Plasma that is generated using dielectric barrier discharge is used to modify the surface properties of polymers used in medicine, at atmospheric pressure. Treatments are performed on films of polyamide-6, high density polyethylene, polymethylmetacrylate, and polytetrafluorethylene, selected for their medical applications. The plasma treatment conditions are discussed, in relation with relevant parameters for the adhesion properties, like the surface energy components, interfacial tension, surface topography, structural changes, and chemical composition. The interface properties are analyzed using the most important fluids implicated in the interfacial events related to the coagulation process at the interface of blood-polymer surface, respectively, water, whole blood, fibrinogen, and albumin. The physical and chemical modification of the surface is theoretically favorable to the interaction of the polymer with the blood and its components, by means of interfacial tension reduction, polarity increase, cleaning, ordering of molecular chains, functionalization, and stabilization effects.
authors.affiliation: Plasma Physics Department, Al. I. Cuza University, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Nicoleta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dumitrascu
authors.forename: Catalin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borcia
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borcia
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers