The interplay of plasma treatment and gold coating and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene: On the cytocompatibility

0480074 - BC 2018 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Novotná, Z. - Rimpelová, S. - Juřík, P. - Veselý, M. - Kolská, Z. - Hubáček, Tomáš - Ruml, T. - Švorčík, V.
The interplay of plasma treatment and gold coating and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene: On the cytocompatibility.
Materials Science & Engineering C-Materials for Biological Applications. Roč. 71, FEB (2017), s. 125-131. ISSN 0928-4931. E-ISSN 1873-0191
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LM2015075
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : UHMWPE * plasma treatment * gold sputtering * atomic force microscopy
OECD category: Materials engineering
Impact factor: 5.080, year: 2017

We have investigated the application of Ar plasma for creation of nanostructured ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (PE) surface in order to enhance adhesion of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (L929). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the interface between plasma-treated and gold-coated PE on adhesion and spreading of cells. The surface properties of pristine samples and its modified counterparts were studied by different experimental techniques (gravimetry, goniometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrokinetic analysis), which were used for characterization of treated and sputtered layers, polarity and surface chemical structure, respectively. Further, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to study the surface morphology and roughness. Biological responses of cells seeded on PE samples were evaluated in terms of cell adhesion, spreading, morphology and proliferation. Detailed cell morphology and intercellular connections were followed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As it was expected the thickness of a deposited gold film was an increasing function of the sputtering time. Despite the fact that plasma treatment proceeded in inert plasma, oxidized degradation products were formed on the PE surface which would contribute to increased hydrophilicity (wettability) of the plasma treated polymer. The XPS method showed a decrease in carbon concentration with increasing plasma treatment. Cell adhesion measured on the interface between plasma treated and gold coated PE was inversely proportional to the thickness of a gold layer on a sample.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0275987