Collagen adsorption on poly(methyl methacrylate): net-like structure formation upon drying

Collagen adsorbed on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and water contact angle measurement, after either fast drying or slow drying. Quantification by :XPS of the amount of adsorbed collagen is shown to be influenced by the drying procedure; This is explained by AFM images, which reveal the formation of a net-like structure at slow drying rates. Comparison between the surface organization, as observed by AFM, surface models provided by XPS and contact angle measurements, indicates that chemically heterogeneous surfaces are produced at slow drying rates, PMMA being exposed at the outermost surface in the holes left by the collagen net. (C) 1999 Society of Chemical Industry