Argon plasma irradiation of polypropylene

a b s t r a c t Polypropylene samples were exposed to argon plasma discharge and the changes of the PP surface properties were studied by different methods. Surface wettability was derived from contact angle measured by standard goniometry and chemical structure of the plasma modified PP was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), surface morphology and roughness of samples using AFM. Zeta potential of pristine and modified PP was determined with the SurPASS. The presence of incorporated oxygen in the PP surface layer, about 60 nm thick, was observed in RBS spectra. Oxygen concentration is a decreasing function of the depth. With progressing aging time the oxygen concentration on the PP surface decreases. Plasma treatment results in a rapid decrease of the contact angle, which increases again with increasing aging time. In XPS measurement the oxygen containing structures, created by the plasma treatment, were found on the very surface of the modified PP and the zeta potential being changed too. The significant difference in zeta potential between pristine and plasma treated PP clearly indicates that the plasma treatment leads to a more hydrophilic PP surface

Poly(ethylene glycol)‐based poly(urethane isocyanurate) hydrogels for contact lens applications

Over the past few decades, the global use and market of contact lenses have expanded steadily. Due to the many demands on material properties (e.g. mechanical, optical and biological), the development of novel contact lens materials is challenging. Specifically, the ideal combination of high equilibrium water content, high toughness in the hydrated state and low protein adsorption is difficult to realize. In this work, poly(ethylene glycol)-based poly(urethane isocyanurate) (PEG PUI) type hydrogels that combine the above important properties are presented as a new class of materials for contact lens applications. It is shown that these PEG PUI hydrogels demonstrate high toughness values in the hydrated state ranging from 98 to 226 kJ m−3 and elastic moduli ranging from 0.8 to 17.2 MPa for networks with equilibrium water contents ranging from 76.3 to 16.1 wt%. These hydrogels also demonstrate transmittance values >90% across the visible spectrum, clarities close to 100% in most cases and refractive indices ranging from 1.48 to 1.36. Importantly, these hydrogels are non-cytotoxic and demonstrate lower bovine serum albumin adsorption values than several commercial contact lenses of 0.24 to 0.65 mg g−1 compared to 0.55 to 1.38 mg g−1 after 24 h, respectively. This combination of high equilibrium water content, high toughness in the hydrated state and low protein adsorption is exceptional. These properties can be attributed to the PEG PUI network structure: the use of a PEG polymeric backbone provides hydrophilicity and chemical inertness while the PUI-type crosslinking units provide high toughness in the hydrated state

Micro/nano-structured titanium surfaces modified by NaOH–CaCl2-heat-water treatment: Biomimetic calcium phosphate deposition and hMSCs behavior

The unexplored effect of chemical treatment of laser micro/nanostructured titanium surfaces deserves attention due to broadening our knowledge of surface enhancement of biomimetic synthesis of hydroxyapatite and osseointegration of titanium implants. In this study, NaOH-CaCl2-heat-water treatment of titanium is revisited and used to modify porous laser micro/nanostructured oxidic and flat titanium surfaces which are characterized by XRD, electron microscopy, zeta potential and FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. These surfaces are also assessed for their ability to induce biomimetic Ca phosphate deposition from a simulated body fluid (SBF) and to grow human Mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The treatment of titanium surfaces is shown to involve unreported formation of crystalline CaCO3 and the related interpretation of physicochemical changes of the treated titanium surface in soaked SBF raises doubts about the specific role of an intermediary CaTiO3 in the biomimetic formation of apatite on titanium substrates. We show that the biomimetic formation of Ca phosphate in Tas SBF solution occurs both on the surface and in the bulk solution, it is enhanced on the structured surfaces and is affected by a Ca-O(Ti) layer originating on the pristine and chemical treated flat and micro/nanostructured topographies with different delays. These findings are confronted with the pilot results of in vitro analyses showing that the cell growth, shape and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs are impeded on the surfaces modified by the NaOH-CaCl2-heat-water treatment