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Effect of γ irradiation on the surface properties of wet polysulfone films containing poly(vinylpyrrolidone)
Author(s) -
Matsuda Masato,
Yakushiji Taiji,
Sakai Kiyotaka
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.3680
Subject(s) - polysulfone , irradiation , materials science , swelling , polymer , chemical engineering , membrane , atomic force microscopy , polymer chemistry , nuclear chemistry , composite material , chemistry , nanotechnology , biochemistry , physics , nuclear physics , engineering
In Japan, hemodialyzers are usually sterilized by γ irradiation. However, the polymer materials used in the dialysis membrane, such as polysulfone (PSf) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), undergo crosslinking or degradation on exposure to γ radiation. In the present study, we prepared PSf/PVP films (PVP content, 0–50 wt%) and used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to perform nanoscale evaluations of the effect of γ irradiation (25 and 50 kGy) on the surface properties of wet PSf/PVP surfaces. Force‐curve measurements were used to evaluate the hardness of and fibrinogen adsorbability on the wet PSf/PVP surface; fibrinogen adsorbability on the wet PSf/PVP surface was evaluated using AFM probes with fibrinogen immobilized on the tips of the probes. At PVP levels greater than 5 wt%, the wet PSf/PVP film surface was completely covered with hydrated and swollen PVP particles. The surface hardness of the wet PSf/PVP films exposed to 25‐kGy γ irradiation greatly decreased with increasing PVP content, whereas the surface hardness of the wet PSf/PVP films exposed to 50‐kGy γ irradiation did not decrease significantly. At higher PVP levels, the reduction in the fibrinogen adsorbability on a wet PSf/PVP film exposed to 25‐kGy γ irradiation was more significant than that on a wet PSf/PVP film exposed to 50‐kGy γ irradiation. PVP particles on the wet PSf/PVP film surface exposed to 50‐kGy γ irradiation did not show significant hydration and swelling because the polymer materials PVP–PSf and PVP‐PVP in these membranes has undergone excessive crosslinking due to γ irradiation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.