Surface modification of titanium carbide with carbyne-containing nanocoatings

The aim of this research is to investigate a novel approach to surface engineering of biomaterials that are based on transition metals of the groups IVA-VIA. The approach taken relies on the fact that, during the electropolishing of TiC surfaces, the removal of Ti atoms from the TiC surface surpasses that of C atoms. This leads to enrichment of the TiC surface with carbon. Transmission electron microscopic investigation showed that carbon-based films contain carbynes in the form of nanorod-like clusters with lengths in the range of 5-100 nm. This carbyne-containing layer is 50-100 nm thick. It was generalized that carbyne-containing nanofilms are formed on the carbide surface of transition metals of groups IVA-VIA during electropolishing. Since carbynes, being one-dimensional chain-like structures [(-C identical to C-)n/(=C=C=)n] with sp1 carbon-carbon hybridization, have the highest degree of biocompatibility because of their biological activity, the development of such surface bioengineering with carbynes extends applications of biomaterials based on transition metals of the groups IVA-VIA.