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Cell Adhesion to PEEK Treated by Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition for Active Medical Implants
Author(s) -
Awaja Firas,
Bax Daniel V.,
Zhang Shengnan,
James Natalie,
McKenzie David R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.201100034
Subject(s) - peek , contact angle , plasma immersion ion implantation , materials science , adhesion , surface energy , oxygen , plasma , composite material , ion implantation , cell adhesion , thin film , chemical engineering , ion , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , polymer , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is an attractive material for the encapsulation of active medical implants. PEEK, however, shows hydrophobic surface properties which are not favorable for protein absorption and cell adhesion. We show that oxygen rich nanofilms “sticky thin film,” deposited on PEEK surfaces from plasma using a plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition technique with a (CH 4 /O 2 ) gas mixture greatly improved cell adhesion (up to 75%) and spreading (up to 81%). Strong correlations were found between cell adhesion and the water contact angle, the polar component of surface energy, and to a lesser extent oxygen concentration of the PEEK surfaces. Surface polarity of the plasma deposited “sticky thin film” was deemed to be the predominant factor in influencing cell adhesion.