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Plasma surface modification has been shown to modify the surface properties without altering the physical properties of teh substrates. Meanwhile, sev eral studies have indicated the blood interactions with the artificial surfaces were altered with the addition of phosphorus - containing functionalities on the surface. Henceforth, plasma surface modification using trimethylphosphite. Henceforth, plasma surface modification using trimethylphosphite ((CH3O)3P) or triisopropylphosphite ((CH3)2CHO)3P) as the monomer source were investigated with an aim to improve the blood compatbility of the substrate, cover glass. Various surface characterization techniques, such as ATR - FTIR, ESCA, SEM and contact angle measurement, were carried out to evaluate the surface properties of the films formed under different processing conditions (e. g. plasma pressure, RF power, treatmetn time duration, monomer mass flow rate etc.). ATR - FTR and ESCA results indicated phosphorus - containing functionalities, such as phosphate or phosphite, were formed at all plasma polymers studied. In addition, ESCA and SEM results have shown a smooth, continuous plasma polymerized thin film was formed at 400 mtorr, 20 watts and 20 minutes treatment conditions for trimethylphosphite, and at 250 mtorr, 20 watts and 10 minutes for triisopropylphosphite. Films formed at lower pressure, lower power, shorter treatment duration were discontinuous. The smooth plasma polymerized thin films were damaged while the RF power or treatment time was further increased than the optimum film formation condition. Contact angle measurement indicated the contact angle values of these thin films at the optimum film formation conditions were 6.3° and 8.5° for the plasma polymerized trimethylphosphite and plasma polymerized trissopropylphosphite, respectively. In vitro platelet adhesion studies showed less platelet adhesion, less platelet aggregation and less platelet activation on the thin films created at the optimum film formation conditions than on the cover glass control and others formed at different plasma processing conditions. Furthermore, plasma copolymerization of trissopropylphosphite and dimethylsulfate ( (CH3O)2SO2), suing cover glass as the substrate, was studied in order to incorporate both phosphorous - containgin and sulfur - contaning functionalities onto the thin film surface. An optimum film formation condition was found at 310 mtorr, 20 watts and 10 minutes plasma treatment duration while the mass flow rate of trisopropylphosphite was fixed at the rate which made the process pressure reading 250 mtorr initially. Contact angle value of this thin film is only 4.7°, which is more hydrophilic than the plasma polymerized triisopropylphosphite thin film. In yitro platelet adhesion studies have shown this plasma copolymerized thin film is more platelet compatible than either plasma polymerized triisopropylphosphite or trimethylphosphite thin films.
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