Initiated CVD of Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) Hydrogels: Synthesis, Characterization and In-vitro Biocompatibility

Initiated (i)CVD, an all-dry, one-step surface polymerization technique, was used to synthesize thin film hydrogels of poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies showed stoichiometric PHEMA films obtained by iCVD. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed a high glass transition temperature, indicative of high molecular mass polymer. In-vitro cell studies using adult human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) demonstrated the nontoxic nature and good cell adhesion properties of iCVD PHEMA films.