ARTIFICIAL CORNEA - SURFACE MODIFICATION OF SILICONE-RUBBER MEMBRANE BY GRAFT-POLYMERIZATION OF PHEMA VIA GLOW-DISCHARGE

A method for producing various surfaces of silicone rubber membrane (S R) was developed in this study by grafting various amounts of poly(2-h ydroxy ethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) onto SR by plasma-induced grafted p olymerization (PIP) as a homobifunctional membrane. The elemental comp osition and different carbon bindings on the surface of SR were examin ed by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis with the amount of O 1s/C1s being approximately 0.7 at 1 min, 60 W, 200 mTorr of Ar-plasma treatment. The peroxide group introduced on SR was measured via 1,1-di phenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the amount of 6.85 x 10(-8) mol cm( -1) reached optimum value at 1 min of Ar-plasma treatment. After Ar-pl asma treated SR, the peroxide group (33D peak) was introduced on the s urface of SR by negative spectra of secondary ion mass spectroscopy an alysis, whereas ester groups (72D peak) were observed for pHEMA-grafte d SR. For the in vitro test, the influence of various surfaces of SR o n attachment and growth of rabbit corneal epithelial cells (CEC) was s tudied by cell culture assay. These results indicated that 56-150 mu g cm(-2) of pHEMA grafted onto SR were suitable values for attachment a nd growth of CEC. On the contrary, the large grafted amounts (500-1650 mu g cm(-2)) of pHEMA on SR were insufficient for attachment and grow th of CEC. For the in vivo test, the migration of CEC from host co rne a to i mplant was investigated by slit lamp microscopy. The experiment al results indicated that SRs grafted with pHEMA were completely cover ed with CEC 3 weeks after implantation of the membranes into the host cornea. These results provide a valuable reference for developing an a rtificial cornea.