Electron-beam modification of DLC coatings for biomedical applications

All DLC coatings investigated were found to be biocompatible, with the coating deposited by magnetron sputtering showing the best results. In general, electron-beam modification resulted in the hydrophilicity of the different DLC coatings increasing, but no changes in surface morphology or roughness were observed. The cell adhesion to electron-beam-modified DLC coatings was reduced to 30% of the untreated DLC coatings, what can be attributed to changes in the surface chemistry. The long-term stability of the modified DLC coatings was also confirmed. Therefore, electron-beam treatment represents a promising tool for modifying and functionalizing DLC coatings, especially if varying requirements concerning biomedical functionality and cell adhesion are involved.