Surface and mechanical properties of plasma-enhanced chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol films

This study aims to investigates the surface and mechanical properties of chitosan (CS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films modified by O2 and N2 plasmas. The CS/PVA = 1/3 (g/g) film exhibited the highest fracture toughness and lowest bovine serum albumin adhesion among all the CS/PVA films examined. The CS/PVA films showed characteristic peaks of both CS and PVA, which became more significant after plasma modifications. The CS/PVA film became more hydrophilic after plasma modifications. The CS/PVA film showed a smooth surface and its roughness increased slightly after plasma modifications. The anti-protein adsorption property of the CS/PVA film was further enhanced after plasma modifications.