Biocompatibility and mechanical properties of diamond-like coatings on cobalt-chromium-molybdenum steel and titanium-aluminum-vanadium biomedical alloys

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are favored for wear components because of diamond-like hardness, low friction, low wear, and high corrosion resistance (Schultz et al., Mat-wiss u Werkstofftech 2004; 35: 924-928; Lappalainen et al., J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2003; 66B: 410-413; Tiainen, Diam Relat Mater 2001; 10: 153-160). Several studies have demonstrated their inertness, nontoxicity, and the biocompatibility, which has led to interest among manufacturers of surgical implants (Allen et al., J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2001; 58: 319-328; Uzumaki et al., Diam Relat Mater 2006; 15: 982-988; Hauert, Diam Relat Mater 2003; 12: 583-589; Grill, Diam Relat Mater 2003; 12: 166-170). In this study, hydrogen-free amorphous, tetrahedrally bonded DLC films (ta-C) were deposited at low temperatures by physical vapor deposition on medical grade Co28Cr6Mo steel and the titanium alloy Ti6Al4V (Scheibe et al., Surf Coat Tech 1996; 85: 209-214). The mechanical performance of the ta-C was characterized by measuring its surface roughness, contact angle, adhesion, and wear behavior, whereas the biocompatibility was assessed by osteoblast (OB) attachment and cell viability via Live/Dead assay. There was no statistical difference found in the wettability as measured by contact angle measurements for the ta-C coated and the uncoated samples of either Co28Cr6Mo or Ti6Al4V. Rockwell C indentation and dynamic scratch testing on 2-10 mu m thick ta-C films on Co28Cr6Mo substrates showed excellent adhesion with HF1 grade and up to 48 N for the critical load L-C2 during scratch testing. The ta-C coating reduced the wear from 3.5 x 10(-5) mm(3)/Nm for an uncoated control sample (uncoated Co28Cr6Mo against uncoated stainless steel) to 1.1 x 10(-7) mm(3)/Nm (coated Co28Cr6Mo against uncoated stainless steel) in reciprocating pin-on-disk testing. The lowest wear factor of 3.9 x 10(-1)0 mm(3)/Nm was measured using a ta-C coated steel ball running against a ta-C coated and polished Co28Cr6Mo disk. Student's t-test found that the ta-C coating had no statistically significant (p < 0.05) effect on OB attachment, when compared with the uncoated control samples. There was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the Live/Dead assay results in cell death between the ta-C coated Co28Cr6Mo and Ti6Al4V samples and the uncoated controls. Therefore, these ta-C coatings show improved wear and corrosion (Dorner-Reisel et al., Diam Relat Mater 2003; 11: 823827; Affato et al., J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2000; 53: 221-226; Dorner-Reisel et al., Surf Coat Tech 2004; 177-178: 830-837; Kim et al., Diam Relat Mater 2004; 14: 35-41) performance and excellent in vitro cyto-compatibility, when compared with currently used uncoated Co28Cr6Mo and Ti6Al4V implant materials. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 95A: 388-400, 2010.