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College of Arts & Sciences
Le’Ann Robles-Pichardo
College of Arts & Sciences
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Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Haifeng Ji Chemistry
Pietro Ranieri Co-Mentor
Plasma treatment in Highly Stretchable Gelatin-Polyacrylamide Hydrogel
Non-equilibrium plasma treatment is known to have effects on wound healing and tissue regeneration without being destructive. Not only does it inactivate a multitude of parasites and foreign organisms that reside in the skin, but it can function to achieve a desired medical effect. Which is why in this research the antimicrobial efficacy after plasma treatment of a highly stretchable gelatin-polyacrylamide hydrogel was tested. This was done by treating the hydrogel with a nanosecond pulsed DBD treatment at different voltages, pulse width, and times. After treatment, the hydrogel would be placed inside a petri dish harboring E. Coli bacteria. The clearer the hydrogel inside the petri dish, the higher the possibilities of it being antimicrobial. After many trials, it was concluded that the hydrogel that was treated at mid to high range frequencies with plasma, did have antimicrobial properties to it.
