Plasma surface modifications for improved biocompatibility of commercial polymers

Low pressure gas plasma techniques for the fabrication of surfaces designed for compatibility with biological tissue and fluids are investigated. Plasma surface treatment rendered fluorocarbon polymers wettable by polar liquids, but the wettability decreased with time during storage in air. Plasma polymerization, on the other hand, allowed the deposition of thin coatings which were more stable with time. STM of plasma polymers, which were coated with a sputtered film of platinum or gald, showed that these coatings were smooth and continuous.