Nitrogen plasma modification boosts new composite material
The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruñ has designed and investigated a new composite material based on the poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) support covered with single-walled carbon nanohorns (CNHs) for blood-related applications. They used the Henniker HPT-100 plasma surface treatment system to raise the hemocompatibility by comparing plasma-surface modification of the PVDF-CNHs composites using air, nitrogen and ammonia plasmas.
Their findings demonstrated that very low blood platelet adhesion could be achieved with zero toxicity using the HPT-100. These new surfaces are expected to find potential in cardiological and circulatory system implants as well as other blood-related biomaterials.
Keywords
- PVDF
- Carbon nanohorns
- Plasma treatment
- Hemocompatibility
- Optimisation procedure