Comparison of the effects of corona and low pressure plasma on the release of caffeine from PA66 filaments

Abstract

Technical textiles for medical applications are a research expanding field. One of the added values of these materials can be suitable to contain and release active ingredients in a controlled manner. A possible alternative to obtain fabrics with controlled drug release properties could lie in the modification of fiber-active principle bonds, so that you get a proper release for each particular application. R & D currently developing drug delivery systems aims to achieve a controlled release of an active principle during a predetermined time. This is done in order to avoid the administration of several doses of drugs or cosmetic products and thus make the patient follow the therapy more easily. The influence of surface modification of fibers by low temperature plasma has been studied regarding the modification of the physical, chemical and topographical properties of the textile fibers. First studies evaluated the incorporation and release of anti-inflammatory and cosmetic drugs from different textile materials to evaluate the modulation of the drug release as the result of the surface modifications achieved by plasma treatment. The use of plasma technology to modulate the release of drugs is an original and innovative contribution. By altering the chemical bonds on the surface of textile fibers with plasma, the drug release kinetic profiles may be modified.