Surface Modification of Latex with Parylene by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Three types of parylene (PA-N, PA-C, PA-D) were used for coating the surface on natural latex rubbers in order to improve surface characteristics including mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The parylene coating was the CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method, and the surface properties of the modified latex were measured. Annealing effects on the mechanical properties of the coated latex were also investigated. The adhesion between latex and parylene was good for all the types of parylene used. As annealing temperature was increased, latex modified with PA-N became more hydrophobic, while the latex treated with PA-C and PA-D became more hydrophilic. As the annealing temperature was raised, the tensile strength was increased, and the elongation was decreased. The biocompatibility was noticeably improved on the latex surface modified with the parylenes through CVD method.