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e1
QUESTIONS
1. Teflon™ is often called “inert.” Is it biologically
inert? Explain.
2. The node-fibrillar morphology of ePTFE is critical to
certain performances. Explain why.
ANSWERS
1. All fluoropolymers react with biological components,
so they are not biologically inert. They adsorb all
proteins, clot blood actively, and infect with adher-
ent bacteria. However, in some milieu (like serum)
adsorbing to any great extent. As albumin does not
have the capability to interact with either cells, bacte-
ria or blood proteins that induce clotting, then these
albumin-passivated surfaces – a function of the serum
biological components that render them passive and
non-reactive to others.
2. The porous nature of the node-fibrillar morphol-
ogy imparts versatile mechanical properties to the
size is critical to prompting cell and tissue in-growth
into ePTFE. Lastly, blood will actively clot into the
pores of ePTFE, producing a stabilizing thrombus or
clotted layer on the ePTFE surface, limiting further
blood activation on this surface.
3. Teflon™’s molecular chain conformation (helix) and
4. Teflon™ is highly crystalline with its helical, aligned
chains in large crystallites able to diffract and scatter
light, producing the white opaque appearance. FEP,
because of its perfluoromethyl side chain, has a limit-
CHAPTER I.2.2.C
Fluorinated Biomaterials
