Plasma-Treated Polymeric Surface for Reducing Biomolecule Adsorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic laboratory ware surfaces tend to cause non-specific binding and adsorption of biomolecules, leading to contamination and interference in biological testing, and traditional antistatic additives can contaminate the contents of containers due to mobility and potential surface blooming.
Innovation Solution
A polymeric substrate with a contact surface treated using conversion plasma comprising water vapor and oxygen, forming covalently bound zwitterionic or epoxy-modified zwitterion-containing monolayers that inhibit biomolecule adsorption and reduce static charge without the use of typical antistatic additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If plastic ware is used to substitute glassware, then breakability and cost issues are improved, but biomolecule adsorption and non-specific binding increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the surface properties of plastic ware through plasma treatment. The treatment alters the surface chemistry to introduce hydrophilic groups and reduce surface energy, thereby decreasing biomolecule adsorption while maintaining the bulk plastic properties that provide breakability advantages over glassware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite surface structure by combining the plastic substrate with a plasma-treated surface layer. This composite approach allows the bulk material to provide mechanical strength and breakability resistance, while the treated surface layer provides reduced biomolecule adsorption properties.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If typical antistatic additives are used to reduce static charge, then static charge is reduced, but contamination of container contents occurs due to mobility and surface blooming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the antistatic function from mobile additives and implements it through a fixed surface modification. By using plasma treatment to create a permanently charged surface layer, the solution removes the need for migrating antistatic additives while maintaining static charge reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a plasma-treated surface layer as an intermediary between the plastic substrate and the container contents. This intermediate layer provides the antistatic function without requiring additive migration, thereby preventing contamination of the contents while still reducing static charge.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces biomolecule adsorption and static charge on plastic surfaces, preventing contamination and ensuring reliable biological testing results while maintaining a clean and stable environment for pharmaceutical packaging.
Implementation Method 1
The contact surface is treated with a conversion plasma comprising water vapor and oxygen
Implementation Method 2
forming covalently bound zwitterionic or epoxy-modified zwitterion-containing monolayers
Implementation Method 3
covalently bound zwitterionic or epoxy-modified zwitterion-containing monolayers that inhibit biomolecule adsorption
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate is described having a treated contact surface comprising a carbon or silicon compound comprising from 1 to 30 atomic percent oxygen, from 0.1 to 30 atomic percent nitrogen, or both, each as measured by XPS. The treated contact surface has a biomolecule recovery percentage greater than the biomolecule recovery percentage of the surface before treatment according to the method.