A process has been developed for treating polymer surfaces in order to introduce chemical groups that can covalently bind biomolecules. These treated surfaces could provide an ideal starting material for microarray fabrication or other surface-based biosensing applications, due to the stability of the chemical linkages and the low amounts of nonspecific biomolecule binding provided by some polymers. This treatment process uses cold plasmas, gases ionized by an applied electrical field, to modify materials that are normally impractical or nearly impossible to treat using standard chemistries. Cold plasmas are used throughout the semiconductor industry and can provide an inexpensive, scalable, and environmentally sensitive means of modifying surfaces.

The polymers were treated to form epoxide chemical groups on their surfaces. Epoxides can covalently bind many biomolecules, including proteins and modified oligonucleotides. The polymers that were treated include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon), acetal (Delrin), polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Many of these are extremely difficult to treat using standard means, but can be easily modified using this process.