Haemocompatibility optimisation of implants by hybrid structuring

State of the art in biomaterial research and implant design is a compromise between functionality and biocompatibility. Consequently, results often have disadvantages with respect to both aspects. With regard to biocompatibility, the activation of the clotting system by alloplastic materials is of great significance, because it necessitates anticoagulant therapy. Further improvements in implant technology require an understanding of the interactions between blood and implants. Therefore a microscopic model of thrombogenesis at alloplastic surfaces is briefly presented, relating thrombogenicity of a material to the electronic structure of its surface. The electronic requirements for high haemocompatibility, which result from this model (especially a low band-gap density of states and a high surface conductivity) are fulfilled by an amorphous alloy of silicon and carbon (a-SiC:H). The advantage of amorphous materials is that they do not obey stoichiometric rules. Thus they allow a continuous adjustment of the electronic parameters without fundamental changes in their mechanical and chemical properties. The theoretical results were checked in vitro by total internal reflection intrinsic fluorescence (TIRIF) spectroscopy as well as thrombelastography experiments (TEG). In comparison with conventional materials such as titanium or LTI carbon, the TEG-clotting time of a-SiC:H-coatings was prolonged by in excess of 200 per cent. As a consequence, a-SiC:H is well suited as a haemocompatible coating material for hybrid structuring of cardiovascular implants.