Biology & Biomedical
Effective biological and biomedical research requires specific control of the cellular microenvironment and biomaterial characteristics. Plasma treatment cleans and activates the surfaces of biomaterials through the introduction of functional groups without affecting the bulk. Increased hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of material surfaces increase the adhesion, coverage and proliferation of cells or induce the formation of spheroids respectively. In addition, plasma treatment has been shown to improve biocompatibility characteristics for numerous applications. As a result plasma treatments is used extensively for cell seeding, protein adsorption, biomaterial coating and implant surface activation. This page contains brief application summaries and relevant articles concerning the use of plasma treatment in biological and biomedical research.
Glass Slides
Glass slides and coverslips are essential substrates in microscopy. To ensure reliable and high-clarity imaging, it is critical that these surfaces are free of organic contamination. Plasma treatment offers an efficient, chemical-free solution for...
Military PPE
To provide adequate protection against biological and chemical warfare agents, military personal protective equipment ( Military PPE ) must filter and/or degrade the toxic agent to safe levels. These processes are achieved by surface engineering of...
Copper
Copper is widely used in engineering research due to its high conductivity and ductility. Plasma treatment enhances the performance of copper surfaces across a wide range of applications, from improving sample adhesion on electron microscopy (EM)...
Hydrogels
Hydrogels are hydrophilic, polymerized networks with high biocompatibility. Hydrogels trap water and other fluids, making them ideal for drug delivery, cell seeding, and tissue engineering applications. Hydrogel fabrication relies on plasma...
Breath Sensor
Flexible polymer-based sensors offer a non-invasive and cost-effective alternative to traditional diagnostic procedures like biopsies or blood tests. These sensors are easy to use and can be worn on or near the skin. One class of these sensors,...
PDMS Clinostat
The study of microgravity’s effects on cells has become increasingly significant as long-duration space missions become more likely. Since actual microgravity environments, such as aboard the International Space Station (ISS), are expensive and...
Battery Research
Recent advances in battery research have made lithium-ion batteries a mainstay of electric vehicles, smartphones, and grid-scale energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries contain several major components. A positively charged region (cathode) stores...
Programming Naive T Cells
Adoptive T cell therapy (or T-cell transfer therapy) is an emerging immunotherapy with the potential to improve outcomes for late-stage cancer patients. The technique relies on programming naïve T cells to induce therapeutic responses directly in...
Photocatalysis
Photocatalysis is a process where light energy, usually from ultraviolet (UV) sources, is used to accelerate a chemical reaction through the activation of a catalyst. The ability to degrade harmful substances and improve material properties under...
Bacteria Sensors
Bacteria sensors play a crucial role in reducing food spoilage, minimizing economic losses and illness from foodborne diseases. These sensors can detect spoilage earlier, eliminating its potential to spread throughout the supply chain, from...
Textile Chemistry
Textile chemistry is important for numerous markets, including clothing, automotive, and outdoor recreation industries. Plasma treatment is a dry, non-toxic process that can make textiles water-repellent, oil-repellent, or both. In this application...
Research Spotlight: Osteogenic Differentiation
Electrical stimulation plays a critical role in a cell’s interactions with its microenvironment, guiding proliferation, differentiation, and function. Consequently, electroactive materials hold significant promise as tissue engineering scaffolds, to...
Innovations in Disease Modeling 2024
Harrick Plasma is excited to sponsor Technology Network’s upcoming Innovation in Disease Modeling Online Symposium on April 24th and 25th! The event brings together leaders in disease modeling from across the globe and covers a wide range of disease...
Research Spotlight: Microplastics
Harrick Plasma Synthetic textiles such as polyester or nylon have many desirable properties, including low cost and moisture-wicking ability. However, synthetic fabrics shed large amounts of microplastics when the fabric rubs against itself during washing. These...
Solar Collectors
Non-toxic Electroplated Coatings for Solar Parabolic Trough Collectors Despite contributing to 50% of the global energy demand, thermal energy has often been neglected as an application for renewable energy technologies, instead losing ground to...
Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)
What is Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)? Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a modified form of Raman spectroscopy often used in the life sciences for cell analysis. SERS has also been used to detect chemical residues for...
Superhydrophobic Surfaces
Plasma treatment can be a beneficial step for creating superhydrophobic surfaces through promoting strong adhesion of a hydrophobic coating, surface roughening, and plasma polymerization.Applications of Superhydrophobicity Hydrophobic surfaces have...
Research Spotlight: Ice Crystallization
Ice crystallization on electrical lines or airplane wings can disrupt operations and even endanger lives. A proposed technique to reduce ice crystallization involves slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS). These ice-repellent surfaces...
Research Spotlight: Blood Plasma Separation
Blood plasma separation is a vital process for the detection of biomarkers which can indicate diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Centrifuges, the most commonly used method of separation, requires large amounts of time and blood. Additionally,...
Research Spotlight: Membrane Distillation
Many desalination plants around the world rely on membrane distillation to extract drinkable water from seawater. However, membrane distillation is also used to treat industrial wastewater prior to discharging it into the environment. Industrial...