Graphene Coating Obtained in a Cold-Wall CVD Process on the Co-Cr Alloy (L-605) for Medical Applications

• Main Authors: Łukasz Wasyluk, Vitalii Boiko, Marta Markowska, Mariusz Hasiak, Maria Luisa Saladino, Dariusz Hreniak, Matteo Amati, Luca Gregoratti, Patrick Zeller, Dariusz Biały, Jacek Arkowski, Magdalena Wawrzyńska
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: graphene coating; biocompatibility; cobalt-chromium alloy; cold-wall chemical vapor deposition method
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/6/2917
• ISSN: 1661-6596; 1422-0067

Graphene coating on the cobalt-chromium alloy was optimized and successfully carried out by a cold-wall chemical vapor deposition (CW-CVD) method. A uniform layer of graphene for a large area of the Co-Cr alloy (discs of 10 mm diameter) was confirmed by Raman mapping coated area and analyzing specific G and 2D bands; in particular, the intensity ratio and the number of layers were calculated. The effect of the CW-CVD process on the microstructure and the morphology of the Co-Cr surface was investigated by scanning X-ray photoelectron microscope (SPEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Nanoindentation and scratch tests were performed to determine mechanical properties of Co-Cr disks. The results of microbiological tests indicate that the studied Co-Cr alloys covered with a graphene layer did not show a pro-coagulant effect. The obtained results confirm the possibility of using the developed coating method in medical applications, in particular in the field of cardiovascular diseases.