title: Ag and Ag/N2 plasma modification of polyethylene for the enhancement of antibacterial properties and cell growth/proliferation.
abstract: Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most common materials used for medical implants. However, it usually possesses low biocompatibility and insufficient antibacterial properties. In the work described here, plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) is employed to implant silver into PE to enhance both its antibacterial properties and its biocompatibility. Our results show that Ag PIII can give rise to excellent antibacterial properties and induces the formation of functional groups such as C-O and C=C. These C-O and C=C groups on the modified surface can trigger the growth of the human fetal osteoblastic cell line (hFOB). Furthermore, combining N(2) and Ag PIII prolongs the antibacterial effects, but nitrogen-containing functional groups such as C-N and C=N created by N(2) co-PIII negatively impact proliferation of hFOB on the surface. According to our experimental investigation on cell proliferation, functional groups such as C-N and C=N created by nitrogen PIII are disadvantageous to cell growth whereas the C-O and C=C groups benefit cell growth. Both the antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of PE can be enhanced by means of the proper plasma surface treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yunjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Huaiyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Shihao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007477:Ions; D012834:Silver; D002244:Carbon; D020959:Polyethylene; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen