Comparative study of the influence of polyethylene film surface modification on interaction with blood components

Abstract

A comparative study of how modification of polyethylene film surfaces performed by plasmachemical treatment and chemical modification by sulfonation and fluorination influence the interaction with blood components is performed. In order to vary the depth and intensity of the impact on the polyethylene surface during processing, the duration of treatment is varied, while the other optimal parameters of the modification process are constant. The characteristics of the polyethylene surface, such as the wetting angle by water, surface energy, surface morphology, that change during treatment are determined. It is shown that these changes have a symbate behavior. The influence of polyethylene treatment on the hemocompatibility parameters of modified surfaces, such as the degree of hemolysis induced by contact with a foreign surface, the number of adhering platelets, and the degree of their activation, is studied. All three investigated modification methods show the possibility of significant improvement of the hemocompatibility parameters, but the most promising method is the method of surface fluorination that provides the maximum increase in the hemocompatibility properties and allows one to modify finished products of various shapes and sizes.