Thin Film Plasma Functionalization of Polyethylene Terephthalate to Induce Bone-Like Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals

In this study polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were functionalized using Ar/O-2 and NH3/C2H4 plasmas followed by incubation in simulated body fluids (SBF). Hydroxyapatite (HAp) formed on sheets was investigated with the aid of infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). IR spectra showed that plasma pre-treatments increased the reactivity of PET toward the SBF by generation of polar domains. SEM images indicated that there is a thin and uniform porous layer of HAp with needle-like nanocrystals covering the surface of plasma treated sheets. Amorphous HAp films closely resembled bone compositions which may suggest Ar/O-2 and NH3/C2H4 plasmas as potentially useful tools for bone tissue regeneration procedures.