Surface properties of biopolymers are crucial for providing topographical and chemical cues to affect cellular behaviors, such as attachment, spreading, viability, proliferation, and differentiation. As an effective surface modification technique, plasma treatment is often applied to enhance surface wettability, adhesion, and biocompatibility of polymers. This study concentrates on developing technical platforms, experimental procedures, and computational-statistical models to manipulate and control the cellular functions on specifically modified polymer surfaces. A novel freeform microplasma-generated maskless surface patterning process was developed to create spatially defined topological and chemical features on biopolymer surface. Global and localized plasma functionalization was performed on polycaprolactone (PCL) samples to introduce biophysical, biochemical, biological and structural cues to enhance cellular response including attachment, proliferation and differentiation. A plasma computational-statistical model was developed to predict the changes in biopolymer surface physicochemical properties following the oxygen based plasma surface functionalization. Furthermore, an integrated system including localized plasma functionalization was specifically designed for the development of biologically inspired devices. The capabilities, benefits, and challenges of the integrated multifunctional biofabrication system to develop cell-on-a-chip device were also illustrated. The objective of this thesis is to contribute scientific and engineering knowledge to the utilization of plasma chemistry to enhance surface functionalization, development of an engineering model for local plasma treatment, and integration of biofabrication processes to assemble cell-on-a-chip devices.
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Title
Localized surface functionalization with atmospheric-pressure microplasma jet for cell-on-a-chip applications
Creators
Chengyang Wang - DU
Contributors
Wei Sun (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
Awarding Institution
Drexel University
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Publisher
Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Number of pages
xiv, 128 pages
Resource Type
Dissertation
Language
English
Academic Unit
College of Engineering (1970-2026); Mechanical Engineering (and Mechanics) [Historical]; Drexel University