SiC In Vitro Biocompatibility

Cell–semiconductor hybrid systems are a potential centerpiece in the scenery of biotechnological applications. The selection and study of suitable semiconductor materials are at the basis of the development of such hybrid systems. This work introduces crystalline SiC as an extremely promising biomaterial. To this end, epidermal and connective tissue cells are cultured directly on single-crystal SiC substrates. The resulting cell adhesion quality and proliferation indicate that SiC is indeed a candidate material for bioapplications, with better performance than crystalline Si, the leading semiconductor in biotechnology. Since a material’s biocompatibility is influenced by chemical, morphological, and electrostatic factors, the effect that different chemistries, morphologies, and wettabilities of SiC surfaces have on cell adhesion and proliferation is also explored. Moreover, the importance of using an appropriate cleaning procedure for the SiC samples before their use as substrates for cell cultures is discussed.