Cell attachment of polypropylene surface-modified by COOH+ ion implantation

Carboxy ion (COOH+) implantation was performed at the energy of 50 keV with fluences ranging from 1x1014 to 1x1015 ions/cm2 at room temperature for polypropylene (PP). The effects of ion implantation on cells (immune macrophages, 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and human endothelial cells) were studied in vitro. Tests of cell attachment gave interesting results that the 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and human endothelial cells cultured on the surface of the implanted PP showed much better attachment and proliferation than that on pristine PP. At the same time, the COOH+ ion implantation also induced low macrophage attachment with normal cellular morphology. Results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed that COOH+ ion implantation caused the rearrangement of chemical bonds and the formation of some new O-containing groups, which was responsible for the enhancement of the biocompatibility of PP