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Self-Initiated Surface Grafting with PMPC on PEEK

    • Reference:
    • Kyomoto M, Moro T, Takatori Y, Kawaguchi H, Nakamura K, Ishihara K. Self-initiated surface grafting with poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) on poly(ether-ether-ketone). Biomaterials. 2010;31:1017-1024.
    • Keywords:
    • PEEK, PMPC, surface grafting, UV
    • Permissions:
    • This preprint version of the manuscript is being made publicly available at www.medicalpeek.org with permission of Elsevier. The final published version of this article can be accessed from Biomaterials.

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Abstract

Poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK)s are a group of polymeric biomaterials with excellent mechanical properties and chemical stability. In the present study, we demonstrate the fabrication of an antibiofouling and highly hydrophilic high-density nanometer-scaled layer on the surface of PEEK by photo-induced graft polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) without using any photo-initiators, i.e., "self-initiated surface graft polymerization." Our results indicated that the diphenylketone moiety in the polymer backbone acted as a photo-initiator similar to benzophenone. The density and thickness of the poly(MPC) (PMPC)-grafted layer were controlled by the photo-irradiation time and monomer concentration during polymerization, respectively. Since MPC is a highly hydrophilic compound, the water wettability (contact angle <10 degrees) and lubricity (coefficient of dynamic friction <0.01) of the PMPC-grafted PEEK surface were considerably lower than those of the untreated PEEK surface (90 degrees and 0.20, respectively) due to the formation of a PMPC nanometer-scale layer. In addition, the amount (0.05 microg/cm(2)) of BSA adsorbed on the PMPC-grafted PEEK surface was considerably lower, that is more than 90% reduction, compared to that (0.55 microg/cm(2)) for untreated PEEK. This photo-induced polymerization process occurs only on the surface of the PEEK substrate; therefore, the desirable mechanical properties of PEEK would be maintained irrespective of the treatment used.

Scheme of preparation of PMPC-grafted PEEK.

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