Plasma-Etching for Controlled Modification of Structural and Mechanical Properties of Electrospun PET Scaffolds

Aligned electrospun poly(ethylene terephthalate) (ePET) nanofiber mats have been fabricated, which mimic the media layer of arteries. We used three different plasma etching techniques to bring their mechanical and surface properties in line with those of natural blood vessels: (i) atmospheric pressure (“HP”) corona discharge in air; (ii) low‐pressure radio‐frequency plasma (“LP”) and (iii) microwave plasma asher, (ii) and (iii) in pure oxygen (O2), or O2 mixture with Ar or CF4. (iii) gave substantial reduction in Young's modulus after as little as 5 min. treatment in O2, without damage to the fibers. Changes in surface composition and drastic improvement in wettability/wicking were also observed, which resulted in promoting adhesion and growth of smooth muscle cells

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