In vitro blood compatibility of poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) and the influence of surface modification by alkali treatment

In vitro blood compatibility of poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) was evaluated in comparison with poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) by a haemolysis assay, in vitro platelet adhesion test and coagulation measurements including plasma recalcification time (PRT), plasma prothrombin time (PT) and kinetic clotting time. The results showed that PHBHHx exhibited better blood compatibility than PLLA. Furthermore, PHBHHx film was modified by NaOH treatment to improve the surface hydrophilic property and the influence of the surface modification on the blood compatibility was investigated. Surface properties including hydrophilic property, surface appearance and functional groups were characterized by water contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the hydrophilic property of PHBHHx film was obviously improved by the NaOH treatment. It was also shown that the NaOH treatment could significantly enhance the blood compatibility of PHBHHx by prolonging PRT, PT, and kinetic clotting time and decreasing platelet activation. It is thought that the improvement in the hydrophilic property mainly contributes to the enhancement of blood compatibility.