SURFACE FIELD OF FORCES AND PROTEIN ADSORPTION BEHAVIOR OF POLY(HYDROXYETHYLMETHACRYLATE) FILMS DEPOSITED FROM PLASMA

Polymeric films were deposited from hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) pl asma on non-woven poly(butyleneterephtalate) (PBT) filter materials. T o test the effect of deposition conditions on surface properties, film were deposited using a constant monomer flow rate and a discharge pow er ranging from 40-100 W. Surface composition and surface energetics w ere evaluated by Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) an d contact angle measurement, respectively. Albumin (Alb) and fibrinoge n (Fg) adsorption from single protein solutions to the plasma-coated f ilters was measured. Results illustrate the marked effects of the depo sition conditions on the surface composition, the surface field of for ces, and the protein adsorption behavior. The latter is modeled by the application of the Good-van Oss-Chaudhury theory of Lewis acid-base c ontribution to interfacial energetics. Materials endowed with widely d ifferent properties are obtained from the same monomer and different d eposition conditions, a result that must be taken into account both in the production step, to assure constant quality, and in the developme nt of specifically tailored materials. (C) 1995 John Wiley and Sons, I nc.