Atmospheric plasma technology unleashes its potential in the medical field
Surface engineering is key to the development of new and durable products. Atmospheric pressure plasma has a great potential in this regard: they are environment-friendly, solvent-free, can be used for the advanced surface treatment and nano-coating of materials, but have so far failed to reach the same level of industrial use as corona technology because of their higher cost. ‘Atmosphere plasma technology presents a higher cost of equipment and operations due to gas consumption and existing equipment also suffers from difficult maintenance. The line speeds are slower than required by some applications, and the lack of concrete examples of their usefulness makes it difficult to convince potential user,’ says Dr Pirjo Pasanen, Principal Consultant at Spinverse Innovation in Finland and coordinator of IP4PLASMA. IP4PLASMA aimed to bridge this gap by providing these examples, focusing on medical applications. Why? Because of the high added value of medical applications, as well as their need for new chemical functionalities in surface treatments using cost-effective manufacturing methods. ‘Our demonstrators cover the production of a quicker and cheaper tuberculosis and HIV tests, the manufacturing of advanced wound dressings with antibacterial properties, and an improved sealing method for medical packaging,’ Dr Pasanen explains. ‘We designed a new mobile treatment system with a modular design that’s more reliable, maintainable and cost-effective, making it better suited for industrial production. Four plasma reactors were built in total based on VITO’s plasma technology, with widths ranging from 200mm to 1200mm.’ The largest reactor was installed at the premises of project partner SOFTAL, where it already being tested for other applications, whilst another was delivered to Slovenian manufacturer Tosama for use on their wound dressing manufacturing line. Tosama’s novel wound dressings can inhibit the growth of S. aureus and C. albicans, whilst the optimisation of the plasma treatment process for medical paper and foil for medical also showed that medical packaging’s sealing properties can be effectively controlled thanks to plasma treatments. Better detection of disease Two of the other project partners, Fraunhover and Lionex, focused on tests for tuberculosis – a disease that affects 9 million people each year, 1.7 million of whom still die despite the existence of a cure. As most patients do not show any symptoms, a cost-effective test like LIODROP, brought directly by IP4PLASMA, could be a game changer. ‘The test allows for a diagnosis within minutes instead of days with current methods,’ says Dr Pasanen. ‘It can easily be used in field conditions, is highly sensitive and specific – over 99 % – and will cost about EUR 1,00 in endemic countries.’ IP4PLASMA’s HIV test was developed using the same platform, and can detect HIV based on the antibodies developed by the patient. The first commercial applications are expected to hit the market within a couple of years. Two-spin-off companies have already been set up, and two more are being planned to further build on the project’s results. ‘Our market studies show that there is a great market potential for all chosen applications, ’Dr Pasanen points out. ‘The potential impact of LIONEX’s rapid TB-tests are huge both from a social and medical point of view, but also from a strictly commercial one. Along with the new HIV test, the results of the project might drastically improve life quality and expectancy of patients as well as prevent further spreading.’
Keywords
IP4PLASMA, Fraunhofer, VITO, HIV test, tuberculosis test, surface engineering, plasma, LIODROP, Lionex, Spinverse, wound dressing, medical packaging
