Magnetic-Field-Assisted Plasma Treatment for Enhanced Wettability of Fluorosilicone Acrylate

Conventional plasma techniques face challenges in achieving efficient and uniform surface modification of fluorosilicone acrylate orthokeratology lenses, primarily due to insufficient generation of active species and poorly controlled surface reactions. In this study, a magnetic-field-assisted plasma strategy is proposed to significantly enhance the surface hydrophilicity of these lenses. Compared with conventional plasma treatment, the magnetic-field-assisted process increased the concentration of active species, as evidenced by a 142.9% enhancement at the 391.4 nm spectral line, and reduced the water contact angle to an ultralow value of 7.67° in an air-plasma medium. Surface analysis indicated a decrease in C 1s and F 1s content, along with an increase in polar oxygen-containing functional groups (C-O, Si-OH, -OH), while surface roughness increased by 68.2% under magnetic assistance compared to 35.9% with conventional treatment. The improvement is attributed to the magnetic field promoting directional ion transport, suppressing random scission of Si-O-Si bonds, and facilitating the of a stable, ordered Si-O network. Moreover, magnetic confinement enhances the effective electron collision probability and the mean electron energy in the discharge, leading to more uniform and controllable surface modification with reduced substrate damage. This approach demonstrates considerable potential for optimizing the surface properties of fluorosilicone acrylate and other biomedical materials.