Tailoring Protein Adsorption at the Solid–Liquid Interface for Long-Term Superhemophobicity

Abstract

Super-repellent surfaces with micro/nanoscale roughness can sustain blood in the Cassie–Baxter state and minimize the solid–liquid contact area, exhibiting potential for biomedical applications. Conventional superhydrophobic surfaces with hydrophobic solid–liquid interface are susceptible to protein adsorption under blood flow, leading to a transition to the Wenzel state and increasing the risk of thrombosis. Inspired by Salvinia, hydrophilic molecules are incorporated at the solid–liquid contact area based on the interaction between blood and the surface topography as well as chemistry, thereby engineering a chemically heterogeneous superhemophobic surface which effectively prevents protein adsorption and maintains a long-term Cassie–Baxter state. The blood-repellent time of the heterogeneous surface is greater than tenfold those of conventional superhydrophobic surfaces. In vivo rabbit blood circulation confirms sustained hemocompatibility and effective thrombosis resistance, demonstrating prolonged superhemophobicity for over 55 h. The heterogeneous design ensures extended resistance to complex biological fluids and is promising for the development of blood-contacting devices, such as the gas-permeable blood-repellent membranes for extracorporeal membrane oxygenators.