Grafting of Chemical Groups onto Polymers by Means of RF Plasma Treatments : a Technology for Biomedical Applications

A brief review on plasma-processes used in biomedical applications is presented, along with results obtained by our group on the plasma-grafting of chemical functionalities onto polymers. RF Glow Discharges in NH3M2 and 02/H2O/H2'feeds have been utilized for grafting nitrogen(e.g. -MI2) and oxygen-containing (e.g. -OH, -COOH) functionalities onto polymers in a reproducible, controlled, selective fashion. Efficiency and selectivity of the grafting can, in principle, be tuned by optimizing the treatments with a proper, combined use of Actinometry and derivatization-aided Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis. Grafted -COOH groups have been used as "anchor sites" for immobilizing heparin and highly-sulphated hyaluronic acid in an active, anti-thrombotic form onto polyethylene.