Understanding Surface Modifications Induced via Argon Plasma Treatment through Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging.

Nicholas Farr,Jeerawan Thanarak,Jan Schäfer,Antje Quade,Frederik Claeyssens,Nicola Green,Cornelia Rodenburg

doi:10.1002/advs.202003762

Abstract

Understanding the effects that sterilization methods have on the surface of a biomaterial is a prerequisite for clinical deployment. Sterilization causes alterations in a material's surface chemistry and surface structures that can result in significant changes to its cellular response. Here we compare surfaces resulting from the application of the industry standard autoclave sterilisation to that of surfaces resulting from the use of low‐pressure Argon glow discharge within a novel gas permeable packaging method in order to explore a potential new biomaterial sterilisation method. Material surfaces are assessed by applying secondary electron hyperspectral imaging (SEHI). SEHI is a novel low‐voltage scanning electron microscopy based characterization technique that, in addition to capturing topographical images, also provides nanoscale resolution chemical maps by utilizing the energy distribution of emitted secondary electrons. Here, SEHI maps are exploited to assess the lateral distributions of diverse functional groups that are effected by the sterilization treatments. This information combined with a range of conventional surface analysis techniques and a cellular metabolic activity assay reveals persuasive reasons as to why low‐pressure argon glow discharge should be considered for further optimization as a potential terminal sterilization method for PGS‐M, a functionalized form of poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS).

Highlights

Have to be overcome in order to establish plasma sterilization as a standardized ISO method including the characterization of
Over, secondary electron hyperspectral imaging (SEHI) is applied to reveal any localized changes in key functional groups (CH, OH, and CO) on the surface of a biomaterial induced as a result of Ar treatment
While innovative synchronized structural and chemical characterization of materials by SEHI has many uses, this study focuses on revealing and mapping the spatial variation of functional groups that are affected by Ar plasma treatment through identifying specific energy bands for CH, OH, and CO– groups

Summary

Introduction

Have to be overcome in order to establish plasma sterilization as a standardized ISO method including the characterization of. In order to identify suitable energy bands for mapping such variations, a number of reference materials are used to evaluate the effects that Ar plasma treatment exhibits on local surface chemistry of sterilized biomaterials.

Results

Conclusion