RELATION BETWEEN POLYHYDROXYALKANOATE MEM BRANE-SURFACE ENERGY AND PROTEIN ADSORPTION ON THESIS MEMBRANES

The haemocompatibility of a material can be evaluated through the stud y of the adsorption of proteins stimulating the thrombus formation. Fi lms of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and copolymers thereof containing res pectively 9% and 22% of hydroxyvalerate (HV) were treated by perfluoro hexane (PHF) and PHF + H-2 plasmas to study protein adsorption. It has been shown that hydrophobic polymer films adsorb more albumin than fi brinogen. Moreover, the amounts of protein adsorbed seem to be mainly a function of the surface roughness of the films, the highest amounts being adsorbed on the rougher films (treated with PFH + H-2 plasma), w hile the smoother PFH-treated surfaces adsorbed less proteins.