Utilizing Radio Frequency Plasma Treatment to Modify Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

Studies that utilize radio frequency plasma modification as a strategyto tune the surface properties of polymeric constructs with the goalof enhancing their use as biomedical devices have grown considerablyin number over the past decade. In this Review, we present the importanceof plasma surface treatment to biomedical applications, includingtissue engineering and wound healing. First, we introduce severalkey polymeric materials of interest for use as biomaterials, includingthose that are naturally derived and synthetic. We, then, providean overview of possible outcomes of plasma modification, such as surfaceactivation, etching, and deposition of a thin film, all of which canbe used to alter the surface properties of a given polymer. Followingthis discussion, we review the methods used to characterize plasma-treatedpolymer surface properties, as well as the techniques used to evaluatetheir interactions with biological species of interest such as mammaliancells, bacteria, and blood components. To close, we provide a perspectiveon future outlooks of this exciting and rapidly evolving field.