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Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Graphene Coatings for Biomedical Implants
Published on: March 1, 2013
Microstructural and Tribological Properties of a Dopamine Hydrochloride and Graphene Oxide Coating Applied to
Gangqiang Zhang1,2, Jiewen Hu1, Tianhui Ren3
1College of Textile & Clothing, Institute of Functional Textiles and Advanced Materials, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Biomass Fibers Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.
Abstract:
With the development of fine surgery and desire for low-injury methods, the frictional properties of surgical sutures are one of the crucial factors that can cause damage to tissue, especially for some fragile and sensitive human tissues such as the eyeball. In this study, dopamine hydrochloride and graphene oxide were used as external application agents to prepare a biological coating for the surface of multifilament surgical sutures. The effects of this biocoating on the surface morphology, chemical properties, mechanical properties, and tribological properties of surgical sutures were studied. The friction force and the coefficient of friction of surgical sutures penetrating through a skin substitute were evaluated using a penetration friction apparatus and a linear elastic model. The tribological mechanism of the coating on the multifilament surgical sutures was investigated according to the results of the tribological test. The results showed that there were uniform dopamine and graphene oxide films on the surface of the surgical sutures, and that the fracture strength and yield stress of the coated sutures both increased. The surface wettability of the surgical sutures was improved after the coating treatment. The friction force and the coefficient of friction of the multifilament surgical sutures with the dopamine hydrochloride and graphene oxide coating changed little compared to those of the untreated multifilament surgical sutures.
