Biofouling Properties of Nitroxide-Modified Amorphous Carbon Surfaces

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Amorphous carbon films possess desirable optical and surface characteristics.
• Developing effective antifouling materials is crucial for various technological applications.
• Nitroxide-containing materials offer potential for soft antifouling properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel amorphous carbon films incorporating nitroxide groups (α-CNO).
• To investigate the antifouling behavior and optical properties of these modified carbon films.
• To explore the potential of α-CNO films in bioengineering and imaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Thin films were deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering.
• Characterization involved ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, and water contact angle measurements.
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) determined film composition, and albumin adsorption assays evaluated antifouling performance.

Main Results:

• Plasma power influenced film densification and roughness.
• Films deposited at 30 W showed high hydrophilicity, low refractive index, and near-stoichiometric C2NO composition.
• α-CNO films demonstrated significant antifouling behavior compared to silicon substrates, confirmed by albumin adsorption and contrast imaging.

Conclusions:

• The combination of nanorough surfaces and nitroxide chemistry induces antifouling properties in amorphous carbon films.
• Optically transparent α-CNO films exhibit potential for bioengineering applications.
• These films enhance contrast in imaging surface plasmon resonance, proving their utility in advanced imaging.