Abstract: A method for plasma ion processing is described, including flowing a gas into porous material; and exposing the gas to a pulsed electric field whilst the gas is in the pores. The pulsed electric field ionises the gas to generate a plasma. The method may additionally include exposing the porous material to a gas so as to generate functionality. The method may additionally include exposing the functionalised porous material to a functional species so as to covalently attach said functional species to the surfaces of the pores.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of controlling orientation of direct covalent binding of a peptide to a polymer substrate surface, to surfaces with peptides directly covalently bound thereto in a manner where the orientation of binding is controlled as well as to devices comprising such substrates. In particular the invention relates to A method of controlling predominant orientation of direct covalent binding of one or more peptides to a polymer substrate surface comprising: (a) exposing the surface to energetic ion treatment to generate a plurality of activated sites comprising reactive radical species; (b) incubating the surface with one or more peptide/s that exhibit or can be induced to exhibit a dipole moment and manipulating the electric field environment and/or charge of said surface and/or of said peptide/s during said incubating; wherein predominant orientation of direct covalent binding of said peptide/s to said surface is thereby controlled.

Abstract: The invention relates to structures for the immobilisation and protection of organic molecules, in particular, functional biological molecules. In one aspect the invention provides a structure comprising a substrate having a nanostructured spacer on a surface thereof; and an organic molecule immobilised on the surface of the substrate. Structures of the invention have a variety of potential utilities, including in protection of catalysts used in continuous flow, in medical devices and in protection of ligands for the binding of analytes in biosensors and diagnostic devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to activated polymer substrates capable of binding functional biological molecules, to polymer substrates comprising bound and functional biological molecules, to devices comprising such substrates and to methods of producing them.