Biocompatibility of conformal silicon carbide on carbon nanowall scaffolds

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) was coated onto carbon nanowall (CNW) scaffolds using chemical vapor deposition with a vinylsilane precursor at 700°C to investigate the effects of the wall edge width, wall-to-wall distance, and surface morphology. The wall edge width ranged from 10 nm to those filling the wall-to-wall space without destroying the CNW morphology. When SiC-coated CNWs (SiC/CNWs) were used as scaffolds for cell culture, cell viability increased until the edge area ratio reached 40%. In over 40% of edge area ratio, cell viability was saturate and comparable to flat surface such as SiC film on the Si substrate (SiC/Si), and control sample made by polystyrene. Calcification was suppressed in the CNWs, SiC/CNWs, and SiC/Si scaffolds compared to polystyrene. Thus, we found that the SiC coated CNW scaffolds could suppress calcification and promote cell proliferation.

Formation of Al-incorporated SiC thin films by chemical vapor deposition of vinylsilane mixed with trimethylaluminum

“…19) We also demonstrated that SiC can be uniformly coated on nanocarbon materials, that is, carbon nanowalls. 21) Therefore, the SiC thin film formation by thermal CVD utilizing only vinylsilane as a precursor is a promising candidate for the SiC thin film formation by thermal CVD. Thus, it is considered that the vinyl silane precursor can form SiC from a single source because Si-H first decomposes, followed by C=C, and the Si-C bonds remain.…”