Controlled deposition of plasma activated coatings on zirconium substrates

Zirconium-based alloys are promising materials for orthopedic prostheses due to their low toxicity, superb corrosion resistivity, and favorable mechanical properties. The integration of such bio-implantable devices with local host tissues can strongly be improved by the development of a plasma polymerized acetylene and nitrogen (PPAN) that immobilizes bio-active molecules. The surface chemistry of PPAN is critically important as it plays a key role in affecting the surface free energy that alters the functionality of bio-active molecules at the surface. The cross-linking degree of PPAN is another key property that directly influences the water-permeability and thus also the stability of films in aqueous media. In this study we demonstrate that by simply tuning the zirconium bias voltage, control over the surface chemistry and cross-linking degree of PANN is achieved.