Helium-Plasma Surface Modification of PVDF-Based Substrates for Biomedical Applications

Magnetoelectric composites based on polymers with inclusions of magnetic nanoparticles have found novel applications in bone tissue engineering as growth-promoting substrates for stem cells. Current research focuses on the surface properties of composite materials, in particular their topographical features, as these have a significant impact on the behavior of stem cells and can promote their differentiation. In this paper, helium-plasma modification is proposed as a method to effectively modify the surface roughness and wettability of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based films. It is demonstrated that this modification method facilitates the development of a topography and increases the surface roughness of PVDF substrates; it also contributes to a reduction in the contact angle, which is due to surface functionalization through defluorination and chemical oxidation. Such surface properties make it possible to use these nanocomposites as functional substrates for bone tissue engineering.