Biocompatibility of polysulfone I. Surface modifications and characterizations

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Polysulfone (PSU) is a widely used biomaterial, but its surface properties can lead to issues like platelet adhesion.
• Improving the surface characteristics of polysulfone is crucial for its application in medical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of nonionic surfactant (Brij) coating and air-plasma glow discharge treatment on polysulfone.
• To enhance the surface properties of polysulfone for potential biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification using nonionic surfactant coating and air-plasma glow discharge.
• Characterization techniques included contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR), and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA).

Main Results:

• Nonionic surfactant coating reduced contact angles from 66.6° to nearly 0° due to hydrophilic polyethylene oxide (PEO) segments.
• Air-plasma treatment decreased contact angles from 66.6° to approximately 22° within 5 seconds.
• ESCA confirmed oxygen incorporation on air-plasma treated polysulfone, correlating with lower water contact angles.

Conclusions:

• Both nonionic surfactant coating and air-plasma treatment are effective in modifying polysulfone surface properties.
• These surface modifications significantly reduce the water contact angle, indicating improved hydrophilicity.
• The developed surface treatments show potential for preventing platelet adhesion onto polysulfone surfaces, enhancing biocompatibility.