It has been shown that protein fouling and cell adhesion can be particularly problematic on hydrophobic surfaces. We have discovered a silica film which when used as a substrate for further surface modification by hydrophobic precursors, resists cell adhesion. This study will report on characterization of the as-prepared silica film by ellipsometry, contact angle, and atomic force microscopy. Cell adhesion studies will be conducted on silica wafers modified with octadecyltrichlorosilane, both with and without the silica pre-treatment, and the extent of cell adhesion will be compared.

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