Electron-Beam-Induced Grafting Of Chitosan Onto HDPE/ATZ Composites for Biomedical Applications

HDPE and HDPE/ATZ surfaces were functionalised with chitosan Via electron-beam irradiation technique in order to prepare materials suitable for biomedical purposes. ATR–FTIR and wettability measurements were employed for monitoring the surface changes after both irradiation and chitosan grafting reaction. The presence of ATZ influenced both the EB irradiation process and the surface functionalisation. Mechanical properties of irradiated materials were not remarkably affected by irradiation processing. Biological assays indicated that electrostatic interactions between the negative charges of the surface of cell membranes and the –NH3+ sites on chitosan chains promoted cell adhesion, while some oxidized species produced during the irradiation process were thought to cause a detrimental effect on the cell Viability.