Biomaterials

Prof. K. Warwick of Reading University, England showed to the world that the term "cyborg" (Cybernetic Organism ? part human, part machine) is no more a fiction to be used only in novels and high tech movies by inserting a microchip into his own body, which can control the emotions of a human being by generating signals and can send it to brain nerves. Even though researches in this direction are only at the infant stage, the above mentioned step really opened many interesting possibilities that can be utilized for mankind. Currently, due to high security reasons, scientists working in the materials research field started to think implanting microchips, which bears the identity of each person in to there own body whom dealing with highly secret documents, which can be opened to them only upon scanning their identities automatically, to prevent any un-authorized revealing of the secrets to others. Grabbing momentum from such activities, researchers working in the medical research field also thinking to implant microchips in to the brain of mentally retarded persons to stimulate its functions so that they can also behave like normal human beings up to some extent and moreover to coat biomaterials on nanoparticulate drugs to help in the drug delivery. They are also interested to modify the surface of the implanting devices like steel-rods used instead of broken bones, pacemakers and so forth with highly bio-compatible but non biodegradable materials anticipating prolonged use in our body.

Glucose is well known for its bio-compatibility, therefore by the help of glucose and acetobromglucsoe (a derivative of glucose) we have synthesized highly biocompatible polymers by the assistance of plasma. The significance of the plasma polymers is that, we can coat these polymers on any substrates, which in turn suggests that we can modify any material to a highly bio compatible material. Along with glucose we have developed highly bio compatible polymers from Polyethyleneglycol (PEG), citral and geraniol. These new polymers may find some significant applications in fields related to above mentioned research areas stretching from materials research fields to medical research fields.

Figure 1 shows SEM picture of blood platelet adhesion to the PET sample. Figure 2 shows the blood platelet adhesion to the PEG coated PET sample. Highly reduced blood platelets after PEG coating suggests highly improved blood compatibility of the PEG coated sample.

Selected publications:

1. Surface modification of Poly (ethylene terephthalate) by Plasma Polymerization of Poly(ethylene glycol)

   D. Sakthi Kumar, M. Fujioka, K. Asano, A. Shoji, A. Jayakrishnan, Y.Yoshida

   Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine18 (9) (2007) 1831- 1835.

   (Study data from D. Sakthi Kumar et al provide new insights into nanotechnology?(Medical News article on Nanotechnolgy ? based on the above mentioned paper) (NewsRx article Oct. 16, 2007)

2. Plasma polymerization of saccharide membrane (glucose film as bio material) Japanese Patent No. 118493 (2005)

   D. Sakthi Kumar, Yasuhiko Yoshida

3. Chemical Modification of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Resin Using Poly(Ethylene Glycol) to Improve Blood-compatibility

   B. Balakrishnan, D. Sakthi Kumar, Y. Yoshida, A. Jayakrishnan

   Biomaterials 26 (2005) 3495 - 3502