Abstract
A brief review of techniques employed for the chemical modification of the surface of various fluoropolymers is presented. Such modification of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) in its expanded form (ePTFE) is an important consideration with respect to the use of this material in the fabrication of vascular grafts. The present paper describes the chemical treatment of planar and expanded PTFE, and poly(tetrafluoroethylene-cohexa fluoropropylene) (FEP) with previously reported benzoin and sodium naphthalide reagents. Angular dependent-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and water contact angle measurements show that a degree of surface selectivity is obtained in the reduction of FEP with benzoin. In contrast, both treatments cause very corrosive action of PTFE. The reduction of ePTFE by sodium napthalide, even under relatively mild conditions, causes the material to lose much of its structural integrity. Accordingly, the use of these reagents to generate new chemical functionalities on ePTFE is not recommended.
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