Hemocompatibile Thin Films Assessed under Blood Flow Shear Forces
Roman Major,
Grażyna Wilczek,
Justyna Więcek,
Maciej Gawlikowski,
Hanna Plutecka,
Katarzyna Kasperkiewicz,
Marcin Kot,
Małgorzata Pomorska,
Roman Ostrowski,
Magdalena Kopernik
Affiliations
Roman Major
Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, 25 Reymonta St., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
Grażyna Wilczek
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa St. 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Justyna Więcek
Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, 25 Reymonta St., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
Maciej Gawlikowski
Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biosensors and Processing of Biomedical Signals, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelt St. 40, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Hanna Plutecka
Division of Molecular Biology and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawinska St. 8, 31-066 Cracow, Poland
Katarzyna Kasperkiewicz
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska St., 2840-032 Katowice, Poland
Marcin Kot
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
Małgorzata Pomorska
Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, 25 Reymonta St., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
Roman Ostrowski
Institute of Optoelectronics, Military University of Technology, Gen. S. Kaliskiego St. 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland
Magdalena Kopernik
Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
The aim of this study was to minimize the risk of life-threatening thromboembolism in the ventricle through the use of a new biomimetic heart valve based on metal–polymer composites. Finite volume element simulations of blood adhesion to the material were carried out, encompassing radial flow and the cone and plane test together with determination of the effect of boundary conditions. Both tilt-disc and bicuspid valves do not have optimized blood flow due to their design based on rigid valve materials (leaflet made of pyrolytic carbon). The main objective was the development of materials with specific properties dedicated to contact with blood. Materials were evaluated by dynamic tests using blood, concentrates, and whole human blood. Hemostability tests under hydrodynamic conditions were related to the mechanical properties of thin-film materials obtained from tribological tests. The quality of the coatings was high enough to avoid damage to the coating even as they were exposed up to maximum loading. Analysis towards blood concentrates of the hydrogenated carbon sample and the nitrogen-doped hydrogenated carbon sample revealed that the interaction of the coating with erythrocytes was the strongest. Hemocompatibility evaluation under hydrodynamic conditions confirmed very good properties of the developed coatings.
