Soft diamond-like carbon coatings with superior biocompatibility for medical applications

Biomedical applications of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are continuously increasing due to their superior mechanical properties, low friction coefficient, antiwear characteristics, and biocompatibility. The tribological characteristics DLC have been comprehensively investigated on various substrate systems as a function deposition parameter dependant features for biomaterial applications. However, the relationship between biocompatibility resulting hardness bias voltage driven intrinsic like sp2 sp3 bonds remains largely unexplored. In this work, series prepared varying from 0 −120 V, characterised atomic structure, physical, contact angle surface roughness reduce while increases 7.8 20.3 GPa with V. A relatively soft coating is shown retain excellent which approximately 38% higher than harder following exposure leached extracts L929 mouse fibroblast cells. This work demonstrates complex interdependence outcomes will support correct material selection an appropriate balance these key properties specific biomedical such load-carrying non-load carrying devices.