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Improving antibacterial ability of Ti-Cu thin films with co-sputtering method
Samaneh Mahmoudi-Qashqay1, Mohammad-Reza Zamani-Meymian2, Seyed Javad Sadati1
1Department of Physics, Iran University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16846-13114, Tehran, Iran.
Scientific Reports
|October 3, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed bactericidal titanium-copper thin films to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The Ti-Cu surfaces effectively reduced bacterial viability by 99.9% and inhibited biofilm formation, showing promise as biocompatible materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Microbiology
Background:
- Increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics necessitates novel strategies for managing infections.
- Antibacterial surfaces offer a promising approach to prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.
- Titanium (Ti) and copper (Cu) are materials with potential antimicrobial properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize bactericidal titanium-copper (Ti-Cu) thin films using co-sputtering.
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of Ti-Cu films against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria.
- To assess the biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the developed Ti-Cu surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of Ti-Cu thin films via simultaneous co-sputtering.
- Surface characterization using EDX, SEM, XRD, AFM, and contact angle measurements.
- Antibacterial activity assessment via colony-forming unit (CFU) assays and FE-SEM imaging.
- Cytotoxicity evaluation using the MTT assay.
Main Results:
- Increased copper concentration led to increased surface roughness and a shift towards a hydrophilic character.
- Ti-Cu films demonstrated superior antibacterial activity, achieving a 99.9% (5-log) reduction in bacterial viability within 2 hours.
- FE-SEM images confirmed physical damage to bacterial cell ultrastructure upon contact with Ti-Cu surfaces.
- The Ti14-Cu86 sample exhibited the highest bactericidal rate.
- MTT assay confirmed the biocompatibility and absence of cytotoxicity of the Cu-Ti thin films.
Conclusions:
- Co-sputtered Ti-Cu thin films are effective bactericidal surfaces that inhibit bacterial adherence and biofilm formation.
- The enhanced antibacterial properties are attributed to increased surface roughness and hydrophilicity with higher Cu content.
- These Ti-Cu films represent promising, biocompatible biomaterials for applications requiring antimicrobial surfaces.
