Applications For Plasma Surface Treatment In The Medical Industry
The selection of a polymer for use in biomedical products such as medical devices, disposables or diagnostic products ultimately depends on the required surface properties of the material in contact with the tissue, fluid or protein. The surface properties required for blood compatibility, for instance, are very different from those required for optimum cell-culturing applications or an adhesive-bonding application. But, the decision to use a particular polymer often has more to do with the economics of one polymer over another and the processing/manufacturing considerations, than the surface property required for optimum product performance.
In other cases, the surface properties may be the most critical criteria and determine the selection of a polymer regardless of its bulk properties. Plasma treatment enables the materials engineer to create the surface properties specific for the application, essentially uncoupling the two often-competing requisites for materials selection: engineering strength and conversion techniques vis-à-vis surface properties.