Multifunctional SiC Surfaces. From Passivation to Biofunctionalization

The integration of semiconductors with organic and biological systems is an emerging research area that holds great potential for future biomedical applications. Among the available semiconductors, silicon carbide (SiC) is particularly promising since it exhibits a range of exceptional physical properties, such as chemical stability, hardness, and biocompatibility, which make it suitable for in vivo operation in harsh biological environments. In order to make use of the full potential of silicon carbide for biomedical applications, a versatile toolkit is necessary for reliably tailoring its surface chemical reactivity, wettability, and electronic behavior using simple and scalable methods. This chapter provides a brief overview of the chemical and physical methods, which have recently been developed for the modification of silicon carbide surfaces. Furthermore, it presents the application of these methods to control the substrate permissiveness to cells. To date, the mechanical properties of this material have been exploited for medical implant coatings. However, in order to realize the full potential of SiC as an active biomedical element, it is necessary to develop methods for precisely tuning its surface properties. Identification of charge transfer pathways and mechanisms in multicomponent and multiphase systems, including SiC substrates, (bio)organic molecules, and electrolyte environments, is required. In addition, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of surface charge, morphology, and termination on cell growth on the surface must be developed.