Novel Biocompatible Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Coating Technology for a New Generation of Medical Implants, Devices, and Scaffolds for Developmental Biology

A new biomaterial paradigm for a new generation of implantable medical devices, prostheses, and scaffolds for stem cells growth and differentiation for developmental biology is provided by a novel multifunctional/biocompatible/body fluid corrosion-resistant ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) film developed and patented in recent years. The UNCD coating provides a unique combination of multi functionalities, including biocompatibility, bioinertnes to chemical attack by body fluids, and surface chemistry, based on Carbon (C) atoms (element of life), to enable a new generation of implantable medical devices, prostheses, and scaffolds for tissue engineering, to impact the quality of life of people. This review article includes the following topics: 1) Brief description of the synthesis and properties of UNCD films and comparison with other diamond film technologies. 2) Brief description of key medical devices and prostheses under development, based on UNCD coatings. 3) Demonstration of UNCD as an outstanding scaffold for growing stem cells and induces differentiation for developmental biology, to treat specific medical conditions.Topics discussed include: • UNCD-coated microchip (artificial retina) is implantable on the eye’s retina to restore partial vision to people. Who are blind by retinitis pigmentosa, produced by genetically induced degeneration of the retina photoreceptors (The Argus II device, developed by a team of researchers and doctors from universities, national laboratories and the second Sight was currently implanted commercially in the USA and Europe,and it was selected by TIME magazine as one of the top 25 inventions for 2013). • UNCD- coated intraocular device for the treatment of glaucoma (intraocular pressure associated optical neuropathy that could lead to blindness). • UNCD-coated metal dental implants with order of magnitudelonger life and superior performance than current implants. • UNCD- coated prostheses (hips, knees and other metal-basedimplants); • New generation of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) for defibrillator/ pacemakers, with ≥ 10 × longer life and safer than current LIBs. • Description of UNCD-based scaffolds