Nitric oxide-generating l-cysteine-grafted graphene film as a blood-contacting biomaterial

By using polyethylenimine molecules as the linker, l-cysteine was immobilized onto graphene nanosheets, endowing the biocompatible l-cysteine-functionalized graphene film with the ability for catalytic decomposition of exogenous or endogenous donors to generate nitric oxide, and thus inhibiting the platelet activation and aggregation and reducing platelet adhesion.