Plasma initiated graft polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine on silicone elastomer surfaces to enhance bio(hemo)compatibility

Poly-2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (pMPC) was grafted from the silicone elastomer (SE) surface by plasma-initiated polymerization to alter the surface properties. Argon plasma was used to activate the SE surface, and the amount of peroxide produced on the surface was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl. Successful grafting of pMPC from the SE surface was verified by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The surface morphology of cells adhered to pMPC-grafted SE also differed from that of cells adhered to unmodified and Ar-plasma-treated SE surfaces due to the homogenous graft polymerization of pMPC. Biological analyses of pMPC-grafted SE revealed that, at the polymer surface, protein adsorption of bovine serum albumin was significantly reduced, and that the surface exhibited anti-coagulant activity in human whole blood and decreased platelet adhesion. In summary, the grafting of pMPC on SE significantly enhanced the bio(hemo)-compatibility of SE.