Comparative assessment of the effect of carbon-based material surfaces on blood clotting activation and haemolysis

Abstract

This work presents results of haemolytic reaction and activation of blood clotting in contact with various carbon materials. Synthetic graphite (SG), glass-like carbon (GLC), pyrolytic carbon (LTI), pyrolytic graphite (PG) and diamond-like carbon (DLC) were investigated. Haemolytic reaction was determined by the assessment of haemolytic index (HI), haemolysis percentage and by the morphological evaluation of erythrocytes. The results indicated that, independently of the methods used and the materials studied, values of haemolysis and morphological appearances of erythrocytes were in the range of standards. It was found that LTI carbon surface prolongs the most effectively clotting activation among the carbon materials studied. The most distinct changes in haemolysis were noted for synthetic graphite, while the smallest ones for LTI carbon. Interfacial bonding energy between GLC surface and human fibrinogen was slightly lower than that for LTI carbon, whereas its total surface energy reached the highest value among the carbon materials studied. The LTI and GLC samples were shown to be the most effective in preventing thrombus formation and in prolonging the clotting time as compared with the other carbon surfaces.