Surface characterization and platelet adhesion studies of plasma-sulphonated polyethylene.

Canine platelet adhesion on sulphur dioxide and allyl phenyl sulphone plasma-treated low density polyethylene (LDPE) was studied. Both 5 W plasma excitation energy-treated surfaces showed the highest S:C atomic ratio by ESCA analysis. Surface hydrophilicity increased drastically after plasma treatment. However, surface hydrophilicity decreased with time. This might be due to the diffusion of the hydrophilic functional groups into the bulk of the material and/or the migration of low molecular weight hydrocarbon species into the surface region. The allyl phenyl sulphone plasma-treated LDPE was less platelet-activating in terms of platelet adhesion and spreading and was independent of the different plasma excitation energy levels used. Sulphur dioxide plasma-treated LDPE showed a higher level platelet activation than the untreated LDPE. Among the sulphur dioxide plasma-treated LDPE samples, the sample prepared using the 5 W excitation energy was less platelet-activating than the samples treated by higher plasma excitation energies.