Anna Sobczyk-Guzenda

Surface characterization and biological evaluation of silver-incorporated DLC coatings fabricated by hybrid RF PACVD/MS method

Since the biological response of the body towards an implanted material is mainly governed by its surface properties, biomaterials are improved by various kinds of coatings. Their role is to provide good mechanical and biological characteristics, and exclude some disadvantages like post-implantation infections. This phenomenon may be reduced by introduction of silver as an antibacterial agent. This study evaluates the Ag-DLC films synthesized by the hybrid RF PACVD/MS method according to the patent number PL401955-A1 worked out inter alia by the authors. Such tests as XPS, SEM, EDS, AFM, FTIR, Raman and ICP-TOF-MS were used to determine surface properties of the coatings. The obtained results were correlated with the biological response estimated on the basis of cells viability assay (osteoblast cells line Saos-2) and bacterial colonization test (Escherichia coli strain DH5α). Results showed that the hybrid RF PACVD/MS method allows one to get tight coating preventing the diffusion of harmful elements from the metallic substrate. Ag concentration increases with the growing power density, it occurs in metallic state, does not create chemical bonds and is evenly dispersed within the DLC matrix in the form of nanoscale silver clusters. Increasing silver content above 2at.% improves bactericidal properties, but decreases cell viability.

Thin SixNyCz films deposited from hexamethyldisilazane by RF PECVD technique for optical filter applications

Abstract This work initiates a series of reports aimed at a construction of rugate optical filters based on silicon rich materials of alternating gradients of refractive index n with the help of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique, The idea is to start deposition of high refractive index SixNy type of material using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN) vapor and nitrogen rich atmosphere, and then to gradually replace nitrogen with oxygen in that atmosphere in order to lower n down to a minimum characteristic of SixOy type of material. A return to initial gas composition should increase the index back to its maximum. In the present work, thin SixNyCz films were synthesized from a mixture of HMDSN vapor with gaseous NH3 and N2. The effect of NH3/N2 ratio on the coating morphology, its elemental composition, chemical bonding and optical properties was studied using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultra-violet absorption spectroscopy and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. The results show that films of the highest index of refraction and the lowest extinction coefficient have been deposited from the gas mixture containing 90 % of ammonia. These coatings are also characterized by the lowest carbon and the highest nitrogen contents.