Graded Ti/C composite films with carbon topcoats are prepared on bendable stainless steel foils by hybrid cathodic arc / glow discharge plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition to simulate cardiovascular stents. Strong adhesion between the stainless steel substrate and carbon topcoat is achieved due to the graded Ti/C interface and it is further improved by increasing the pulse voltage. Moreover, the graded coating is more hydrophilic than the stainless steel substrate. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.