Hemocompatibility of C–N films fabricated by ion beam assisted deposition

Biocompatible films have great practical potentialities in biomedical field. They are often used on blood-contacting occasions such as intraluminal metallic stents and artificial heart valves for the purpose of hemocompatibility improvements. In this paper, C–N films were synthesized on Si(111) wafers by means of ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). Surface composition, bonding types and surface roughness were addressed by AES, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In vitro measurements of contact angle, dynamic clotting time and platelet consumption rate were used to evaluate the blood compatibility of C–N film in comparison with that of NiTi and 316L. The results indicate that the blood compatibility of C–N film is superior to that of NiTi alloy and 316L stainless steel.