THE EFFECT OF PLASMA-INDUCED GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF PHEMA ON SILICONE-RUBBER TOWARDS IMPROVING CORNEAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS GROWTH

A PHEMA grafted polymer film was prepared by plasma induced graft copo lymerization onto an elastic material, silicone rubber. The control, A r plasma-treated, and PHEMA-grafted silicone rubber surfaces were char acterized by ESCA, FTIR-ATR, and SEM techniques. ESCA verified the res pective chemical shift of control and Ar plasma-treated films. The pre sence of the grafted PHEMA was also verified by ESCA. The amounts of g rafted PHEMA did not monotonously increase with the plasma exposure co nditions, but decreased after passing a maximum. The introduction of P HEMA onto a hydrophobic support provided an adequate surface for rabbi t corneal epithelium cell attachment and growth. Cell attachment and g rowth onto these surfaces were examined by light microscopy. Cell atta chment onto the control and Ar plasma-treated surface was negligible, while improved attachment and growth of rabbit corneal epithelium cell s was demonstrated on the PHEMA-grafted polymer surface. The PHEMA-gra fted silicone rubber surface demonstrated a confluent cell layer after 72 h.