Corona discharge treatments of plastified PVC samples used in biological environment

The effects of the plasticizer content and of the treatments by corona disc harge in helium on the morphology and on some physico-chemical properties o f the PVC surface were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), IR spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. A biological test of adsor ption of some ions (calcium, potassium, and sodium) from human serum sangui ne on the surface of PVC was also performed. After corona discharge treatme nt, the surface morphology presents a cleaning of oligomers and an increase in porosity, depending on the treatment time and on the content of the pla sticizer. Surface energy considerably increases and functionalization of th e surface is observed after treatment by corona discharge in helium. This f unctionalization does not change the electrolitical equilibrium of some ion s from the serum sanguine, a convenient result that controls the stability of the blood-PVC sample interface. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2419-2425, 2001.