Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) has become widely used to deposit wear resistant, thin film coatings onto medical devices (including heart pacemakers, surgical instruments, and orthopaedic implants). The main value in PVD technologyy rests in the ability to modify the surface properties of a device without changing the underlying material's peroperties and biochemical functionality. The surface coating is tremendously adhesive to the substrate, is conformal and pinhole free, is an excellent permeation barrier, and is sterile on preparation. The biocompatibility of a componant is an absolute pre-requisite when applied in medical device situations. The base forumla for Blackline has been tested by an independent biological testing laboratory, and is certified biocompatible for external and internal medical devices that come into contact with bone, skin, tissue or blood.