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The paper deals with the cholesterol-cyclosporine A (Chol-CsA) monolayers at the air/water interface investigated using the Langmuir trough coupled with the Brewster's angle microscopy. The compressed films were transferred onto the PEEK polymer support by means of the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. To improve molecules adhesion and organization the PEEK surface was treated with air plasma before thin films deposition. The obtained surfaces were characterized by means of atomic force microscope (AFM). Then, the wettability of the supported monolayers was determined by the contact angle measurements. Finally, the surface free energy and its components were evaluated from the theoretical approach proposed by van Oss et al. The obtained results reveal correlation between properties of the Langmuir monolayers at the air/water interface and those of the Langmuir-Blodgett films on PEEK. This was found to be helpful for understanding the wettability of organized molecular films on the polymer support as far as biocompatibility improve is concerned. The preparation of films with defined polarity and various compositions is an important step in the development of polymer surfaces with increased biofunctionality. It is believed that the results presented in this paper can be exploited in the in vivo studies.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) biomaterial is a polymer which has been widely used since the early 90s as a material for human bone implant preparations. Nowadays it is increasingly used due to its high biocompatibility and easily modeling, as well as better mechanical properties and price compared to counterparts made of titanium or platinum alloys. In this paper, air low-temperature and pressure plasma was used to enhance PEEK adhesive properties as well as surface sterilization. On the activated polymeric carrier, biologically-active substances have been deposited with the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Thereafter, the surface was characterized using optical profilometry, and wettability was examined by contact angle measuring. Next, the contact angle hysteresis (CAH) model was used to calculate the surface free energy of the modified surface of PEEK. The variations of wettability and surface free energy were observed depending on the deposited monolayer type and its components.

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Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a highly biocompatible polymer widely used in medicine as an implant production material. In this article, the PEEK surface was characterized in terms of its wettabillity properties after the physicochemical modifications by treatment with the low‐temperature air plasma and covering with the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) monolayers of polypeptide (cyclosporine A, CsA) and/or phospholipid (1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine, DPPC). The LB deposition was preceded by the analysis of miscibility and morphology of monolayers at the air/water interface by means of the Langmuir technique and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). Then, wettability of the polymer‐supported films was evaluated by the contact angle measurements of three probe liquids of different characters (two polar—water and formamide, one apolar—diiodomethane). The measured contact angles allowed for determination of the surface free energy and its components based on the Lifshitz‐van der Waals/acid–base (LWAB) approach. Some relations between the kind and magnitude of interactions within the model membranes on the water subphase and those of the PEEK‐supported membranes with the liquids were found out. The results allowed obtaining the interesting models of biological coatings with potential applications.

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Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a biocompatible, chemically and physically stable radiolucent polymer that exhibits a similar elastic modulus to the normal human bone, making it an attractive orthopedic implant material. However, PEEK is biologically inert, preventing strong enough bonding with the surrounding bone tissue when implanted in vivo. Surface modification and composite preparation are the two main strategies for the improvement of the bioactivity of PEEK. In this study, the plasma activated PEEK surfaces with the embedded bioglass, chitosan, and bioglass-chitosan mixed layers applying from the solution dip-coating technique were investigated. The most prominent factors affecting the coating biocompatibility are strictly connected with the composition of its outer surface (its charge and functional groups), hydrophilic-hydrophobic character, wettability and surface free energy, and topography (size of pores/substructures, roughness, stiffness), as well as the personal characteristics of the patient. The obtained surfaces were examined in terms of wettability and surface-free energy changes. Additionally, FTIR (Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectrometry) and SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) were applied to establish and control the coating composition. Simultaneously the structure of coatings was visualized with the aid of SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Finally, the obtained systems were incubated in SBF (Simulated Body Fluid) to verify the modifications’ influence on the bioactivity/biocompatibility of the PEEK surface. Different structures with variable compositions, as well as changes of the wettability, were observed depending on the applied modification. In addition, the incubation in SBF suggested that the bioglass-chitosan ratio influenced the formation of apatite-like structures on the modified PEEK surfaces.