SURFACE-PROPERTIES AND BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF ION-IMPLANTED POLYMERS

The surface properties of the polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) an d polystyrene (PS) samples doped with 150 keV F+ ions with doses of 1 x 10(12)-1 x10(15) cm(-2) have been characterized by different techniq ues and their biocompatibility to vascular smooth muscle cells was exa mined. The concentration and the conjugation length of the double bond s produced by ion impact, the conductivity and the surface polarity in creased with the level of doping. The cell density was measured on the PP and PS samples doped with doses below 1 x 10(13) cm(-2). The cells cultured on the ion-doped PS and PP exhibited better homogeneity and the resulting density was several times higher than that on the undope d polymers. No such effects were observed on the doped PE. The enhance d cell proliferation correlates with the increased surface polarity of the doped polymers.