Carbyne‐Containing Surface Coatings

Abstract

Synthesis of carbyne‐containing surface coatings for a variety of biomedical applications is a matter of a great importance. Carbynes with a one‐dimensional chain‐like molecular structure that were discovered a few decades ago represent a basic allotropic form of carbon equally with diamond and graphite. Carbynes appear as quasi‐crystalline structures of carbon‐chains with double (CC) n and alternating single/triple (–CC–) n covalent bonds. The aim of this article is to summarize existing information about carbyne‐containing surface coatings for biomedical applications and to outline novel approaches for synthesis of such functional biomaterials in the form of coatings. The first research and development of carbyne‐containing materials demonstrated their great potential for biomedical applications. Carbynes possess a high biocompatibility, low litho‐ and thrombogenic activity, high resistance to chemically aggressive biological liquids, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and so on. Equally with the state‐of‐the‐art biomaterials in question, three novel carbyne‐containing surface coatings are here highlighted: (1) carbynes‐W 3 C composite coatings chemically vapor‐deposited, (2) carbyne‐containing layers formed by electropolishing of the surface of transition metal carbides, and (3) microwave‐induced defluorination of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon) on the interface of “PTFE‐Water” at ∼95°C. This article demonstrates opportunities to synthesize the carbyne‐containing surface coatings that can be practically realized for biomedical applications. The three coating processes afford the opportunity to modify the surfaces of the basic artificial implants; i.e., metallic/ceramic artificial implants can be coated by the Carbynes‐W 3 C composite; artificial implants manufactured from transition metal alloys can be electrochemically modified by carbyne‐containing coating; and PTFE‐implants can be modified by microwave‐induced surface defluorination leading to the formation of a carbyne‐containing surface layer.