Platelet adhesion and protein adsorption on silicone rubber surface by ozone-induced grafted polymerization with carboxybetaine monomer

Platelet adhesion and protein adsorption on the silicone rubber film grafted with N,N′-dimethyl-N-methacryloyloxyethyl-N-(2-carboxyethyl) ammonium (DMMCA) was studied. The grafting was carried out by means of ozone-induced method and was confirmed by ATR-FTIR and XPS investigations. The grafted films possessed relatively hydrophilic surface revealed by contact angle measurement. The blood compatibility of the grafted film was evaluated in vitro by platelet adhesion in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and protein absorption in bovine fibrinogen (BFG) using silicone film as the reference. No substantial platelet adhesion was observed for the grafted films incubated in PRP for 60 and 180 min. The protein absorption was also significantly reduced after incubated in bovine fibrinogen for 60 min. Both the results indicated that the blood compatibility of silicone rubber was greatly improved by ozone-induced grafting of carboxybetaine zwitterionic polymer onto its surface.