Structural‐mechanical and biomedical surface properties of elastic polyurethane after PECVD of Ar/C2H2

Plasma treatment of polymers has many perspective applications in biomedical area. Carbon or carbon‐like coatings of elastic polymers are of interest. However, deformation of the polymeric substrates easily damages the modified surface. Such flaws cancel all the benefits of the treatment and should be avoided. In this paper, a surface of elastic polyurethane (PU) (elastic modulus is 25 MPa) is treated by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of acetylene/argon. As a result, inhomogeneous carbon‐containing nanolayers are formed: discontinuous and solid coatings with heterogeneous stiffness and thickness (from 2 to 11 nm). Structural peculiarities and relatively low elastic modulus (several GPa) of the coatings prevent their fracture under uniaxial deformation of at least up to 50% (however, the thickest coating is covering by a mesh of local nanocracks). The coatings have improved biomedical properties: better albumin adsorption and resistance to bacteria of Escherichia coli.