Plasma and Radiation-Induced Graft Modification of Polymers for Biomedical Applications

Polymers have generated considerable interest in a number of innovative domains for biomedical applications. There is a great need to develop and design polymers for better acceptability to the biosystem that includes the blood and tissue compatibility and a perfect cell-material interaction. The modification of existing polymers by careful designing of the macromolecular architecture is one of the most attractive ways to develop such biomaterials. Plasma and high-energy radiation, such as gamma radiation and electron beam lead to enough activation of polymers so that specific monomer may be grafted. The extent of modification, i.e., the degree of grafting may be easily controlled by the careful variation of the radiation exposure and reaction conditions. The graft modification may be carried out almost on all polymers with the creation of a desired functional chemistry both on the surface and in the bulk matrix. such biomaterials are being used for implants, sutures, tissue engineering, and as structured surface materials. The most recent innovation in the development of biomaterials has been in the area of tissue engineering where human cells are seeded on top of a polymer support and are harvested as tissue. The grafting method is extremely attractive as the modified biomaterial is obtained in the purest form possible. The grafting is applicable to almost all polymer-monomer combinations with enormous possibilities of physico-chemical and biological characteristics.