Biological evaluation of ultrananocrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond coatings.

Nanostructured biomaterials have been investigated for achieving desirable tissue-material interactions in medical implants. Ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings are the two most studied classes of synthetic diamond coatings; these materials are grown using chemical vapor deposition and are classified based on their nanostructure, grain size, and sp3 content. UNCD and NCD are mechanically robust, chemically inert, biocompatible, and wear resistant, making them ideal implant coatings. UNCD and NCD have been recently investigated for ophthalmic, cardiovascular, dental, and orthopaedic device applications. The aim of this study was (a) to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of UNCD and NCD coatings and (b) to determine if variations in surface topography and sp3 content affect cellular response. Diamond coatings with various nanoscale topographies (grain sizes 5-400 nm) were deposited on silicon substrates using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed uniform coatings with different scales of surface topography; Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of carbon bonding typical of diamond coatings. Cell viability, proliferation, and morphology responses of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) to UNCD and NCD surfaces were evaluated. The hBMSCs on UNCD and NCD coatings exhibited similar cell viability, proliferation, and morphology as those on the control material, tissue culture polystyrene. No significant differences in cellular response were observed on UNCD and NCD coatings with different nanoscale topographies. Our data shows that both UNCD and NCD coatings demonstrate in vitro biocompatibility irrespective of surface topography.

Effects of nanotopography on the in vitro hemocompatibility of nanocrystalline diamond coatings.

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings have been investigated for improved wear resistance and enhanced hemocompatibility of cardiovascular devices. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of NCD surface nanotopography on in vitro hemocompatibility. NCD coatings with small (NCD-S) and large (NCD-L) grain sizes were deposited using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, contact angle testing, and Raman spectroscopy. NCD-S coatings exhibited average grain sizes of 50-80 nm (RMS 5.8 nm), while NCD-L coatings exhibited average grain sizes of 200-280 nm (RMS 23.1 nm). In vitro hemocompatibility testing using human blood included protein adsorption, hemolysis, nonactivated partial thromboplastin time, platelet adhesion, and platelet activation. Both NCD coatings demonstrated low protein adsorption, a nonhemolytic response, and minimal activation of the plasma coagulation cascade. Furthermore, the NCD coatings exhibited low thrombogenicity with minimal platelet adhesion and aggregation, and similar morphological changes to surface-bound platelets (i.e., activation) in comparison to the HDPE negative control material. For all assays, there were no significant differences in the blood-material interactions of NCD-S versus NCD-L. The two tested NCD coatings, regardless of nanotopography, had similar hemocompatibility profiles compared to the negative control material (HDPE) and should be further evaluated for use in blood-contacting medical devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 253-264, 2017.