Wettability and biocompatibility of nitrogen-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon films: Effect of nitrogen

Amorphous carbon films have been applied in biomedical fields as potential biocompatible materials with wettability that can be adjusted by doping with other elements, including F, Si, Ti, O and N. In this study, nitrogen-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H:N) films were deposited by PIII-D using C2H2 + N2 gas mixtures. The biocompatibility and anti-thrombotic properties of the films were assessed in vitro. The surface morphology and surface wettability of the films were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a contact angle method. The results show no cytotoxicity for all films, and films with appropriate nitrogen doping possess much better endothelial cell growth and anti-thrombotic properties.