A hydrophobic layer prepared by cyclic grafting of polydimethylsiloxane on magnesium: improved corrosion resistance and biocompatibility

Magnesium and its alloys have been widely studied as absorbable coronary stent materials. However, the rapid corrosion rate in the intravascular environment inhibits the application of magnesium-based stents. In order to endow magnesium-based stent with appropriate degradation rate and biocompatibility, a hydrophobic layer was constructed by in situ cyclic grafting 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and aminopropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane on pure magnesium. SEM-EDS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle were detected to analyze the chemical composition of the layer. The amino groups were confirmed to be introduced on the surface which provide a platform for subsequent modification. The contact angle value of the modified surface is 132.1°, indicating a hydrophilic surface. The electrochemical measurements and immersion tests demonstrated that the hydrophobic layer significantly improved the anti-corrosion ability of the substrate. Besides, the biocompatibility of the hydrophobic surface was examined by platelet adhesion, cytocompatibility in vitro and subcutaneous implantation in vivo. Immunological and histological results indicated that the hydrophobic layer had excellent biocompatibility. Therefore, the presented study might be a promising method for the surface modification of biomedical magnesium-based stent.