Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the role of surface roughness of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites on osteoblasts morphology, adhesion and proliferation. C/C composites were prepared by chemical vapor infiltration and three different values of surface roughness were created by treatment with two kinds of grinding paper and mechanical polishing. The
surface roughness of C/C composites was measured by Talysurf profilometer, and cell culture was performed with MG-63 osteoblasts. The adhesion rate, morphology and proliferation rate were assessed. The results show that the adhesion rate increase and the proliferation rate decrease with the increase of roughness. The orientation of the osteoblasts is affected by the roughness, the higher the roughness, the greater the effect. As surface roughness increasing, the morphology of the osteoblasts changes from shuttle and strip shape to slice shape.

Key words: carbon/carbon composites, roughness, osteoblasts