Plasma Modification of Carbon Coating Produced by RF CVD on Oxidized NiTi Shape Memory Alloy under Glow-Discharge Conditions

Our previous work has shown that for cardiac applications, combining low-temperature plasma oxidation with an amorphous carbon coating (a-C:N:H type) constitutes a prospective solution. In this study, a short-term modification by low-temperature oxygen plasma is proposed as an example and a method for shaping the topography and surface energy of the outer amorphous carbon coating, produced via the Radio-Frequency Chemical Vapour Deposition (RFCVD) method on NiTi alloy oxidized under glow-discharge conditions. This treatment alters the chemical composition of the outer zone of the surface layer. A slight increase is also noted in the surface roughness at the nanoscale. The contact angles were shown to increase by about 20% for water and 30% for diiodomethane, while the surface free energy decreased by ca. 11%. The obtained results indicate that even short-term contact with low-temperature plasma can shape the surface properties of the carbon coating, an outcome which shows potential in terms of its use in medical applications.