Plasma surface modification applications with the Tetra Series are wide ranging, from improved bonding in medical device manufacture to enhancing the properties of advanced aerospace and automotive composites.
Plasma modification is one way to alter the surface of biomaterials to enhance their properties. During plasma modification techniques, the surface is subjected to high levels of excited gases that alter the surface of the material.
Hydrophilic coatings can reduce friction in the arteries by up to 83% when compared to bare wires due to their high surface energy.[13] When the hydrophilic coatings come into contact with bodily fluids they form a waxy surface texture that allows the wire to slide easily through the arteries. Guide wires with hydrophilic coatings have increased trackability and are not very thrombogenic; however the low coefficient of friction increases the risk of the wire slipping and perforating the artery.[14]