Collagen-grafted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for biomedical applications

A novel material for hard tissue implants has been prepared. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was grafted with collagen I, to improve its biocompatibility with soft tissue in case of its usage in bone engineering. Before collagen immobilization, commercial grade UHMWPE was treated with air plasma to introduce hydroperoxides onto the surface and subsequently grafted with carboxylic acid to functionalize the surface. Acrylic acid and itaconic acid were used for surface functionalization. After graft polymerization of carboxylic acids, collagen was immobilized covalently through the amide bonds between residual amino and carboxyl groups in the presence of water-soluble carbodiimide/hydroxysuccinimide cross-linking system. Each step of modification was characterized using spectroscopic (EPR, ATR-FTIR, and XPS), microscopic (SEM and CLSM), and contact angle measurement methods. The experimental results showed that plasma treatment led to a generation of free radicals on the UHMWPE surface resulting in the formation of unstable hydroperoxides. These reactive species were used to graft unsaturated carboxylic acids onto UHMWPE. Consequently, collagen was grafted via the-NH₂ and-COOH reaction. The obtained experimental data along with microscopic observations confirmed the success of graft poly-merization of itaconic as well as of acrylic acid and collagen immobilization onto the UHMWPE surface. Presented at the 1st Bratislava Young Polymer Scientists Workshop, Bratislava, 20–23 August, 2007.