Open AccessAntibacterial silver (Ag) containing titanium oxynitride (TiO x N y ) coatings for inhibiting surgical site infections (SSI)
Author(s) -
Sikder Prabaha,
Liu Lufei,
Jayatissa Ahalapitiya H.,
Bhaduri Sarit B
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
medical devices & sensors
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2573-802X
DOI - 10.1002/mds3.10052
Subject(s) - nanoindentation , materials science , antibacterial activity , scanning electron microscope , titanium , sterilization (economics) , sputter deposition , substrate (aquarium) , metallurgy , nuclear chemistry , bacteria , sputtering , nanotechnology , composite material , thin film , chemistry , biology , ecology , genetics , economics , monetary economics , foreign exchange market , foreign exchange
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention states that about one in every thirty‐one patients gets infected with ‘hospital‐acquired infections'. Bacterial colonization on surgical instruments remains one of the most significant factors for causing them. Such infections not only hinder a patient's recovery but can evolve into life‐threatening scenarios. Further, the moderate surface hardness of instruments might degrade their performance. Considering these issues, the central goal of this paper is to develop antibacterial coatings with favourable hardness. The main objective was to take advantage of the hardness property of titanium oxynitride (TiO x N y ) while combining silver's (Ag) antibacterial properties. As surgical instruments are mainly fabricated using Ti6Al4V, we chose this material as our substrate. Radiofrequency magnetron sputtering was employed to develop several multi‐phasic coatings. Phase compositions, morphology and hardness values were analysed by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and nanoindentation, respectively. The antibacterial efficacy was evaluated against Escherichia coli using zone of inhibition, plate counting assay and Live/Dead assay. The effect of repetitive sterilization of coated samples was also examined. Results indicated the successful formation of antibacterial coatings with favourable hardness. Ag‐containing coatings exhibited pronounced antibacterial effect by ‘contact killing' method with no functionality change even after five sterilizing cycles.