Evaluation of physicochemical properties of SiO2-coated stainless steel after sterilization

• Sterilization has a significant impact on the physicochemical properties.
• After sterilization the SiO2 layers showed no significant cytotoxicity.
• The SiO2 layers had no negative effect on morphotic blood elements.

The study of most of the literature devoted to the use of coronary stents indicates that their efficiency is determined by the physicochemical properties of the implant surface. Therefore, the authors of this study suggested conditions for the formation of SiO2 layers obtained with the use of sol–gel methodology showing physicochemical properties adequate to the specific conditions of the cardio-vascular system. Previous experience of authors helped them much to optimize the coating of 316LVM steel surface with SiO2. The values of parameters that determine the usefulness of the coating in medical applications have been determined. In order to identify the phenomena taking place at the boundary of phases and to evaluate the usefulness of the proposed surface modification, taking into consideration the medical sterilization (steam or ethylene oxide (EO)), the potentiodynamic, impedance, adhesion, surface morphology and biological assessment characterizations were performed. Regardless of the usage of the sterilizing agent (steam, EO) the study showed the reduction of critical force causing layer's delamination. The research results of corrosion resistance study also confirmed a slight decrease of SiO2 barrier properties of the samples after sterilization in contact with the artificial plasma. SiO2 layers after the sterilization process did not show significant features of cytotoxicity and had no negative influence on blood cell counts, which confirmed the results of quantitative and qualitative studies.

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