Modification of Polyetheretherketone Surface by Argon, Oxygen and Nitrogen Plasma for Dentistry Application

Due to the chemical and radiation resistance, strength, inertia and biocompatibility properties, synthetic polycrystalline thermoplastic polymer polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is used in implantology and dentistry. Successful application in medicine requires proper surface wetting properties. Implantology intended to provide a hydrophilic, better attachment of cells to the implant surface. Meanwhile, different dental prostheses are required to be hydrophobic. The changes of contact angle, surface energy, and morphology of the polyetheretherketone surface after treatment in nitrogen, oxygen and argon plasma were investigated in this work. The dentine and gingiva PEEK MED 98H14 samples were cleaned for 10 min. with ultrasound in alcohol surrounding before plasma treatment which influenced 18°–23° decreasing of surface contact angle. It was noted that dentine PEEK MED 98H14 was more sensible for the argon and oxygen plasma treatment when ion energy is higher (500 eV) and surface of those samples becomes more hydrophobic. Repeating of experiments at the same conditions with gingiva PEEK MED 98H14 showed the opposite results – contact angle of surface decreased and samples become more hydrophilic. Treatment of both materials with nitrogen plasma resulted the decrease of contact angle by 5°.