In situ preparation of antibacterial Ag particles on Ti6Al4V surfaces by spray deposition

In this study, spray deposition technology was used for in situ preparation of silver (Ag) particles on additively manufactured Ti6Al4V alloy surfaces. An amount of silver particles (200 nm) was uniformly achieved on pristine or acid-etched titanium (Ti) alloy surfaces by designing the spraying passes. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to confirm their composition and crystal structure. The antibacterial activity of the prepared silver particles was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. Thereafter, the antibacterial activity of silver particles on Ti6Al4V alloy surfaces against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria was investigated by utilizing the bacterial counting method. The damaged cell membranes around the silver particles revealed excellent antibacterial properties, indicating the possibility of harnessing the spray deposition method to take advantage of the in-situ-produced antibacterial silver coatings on additively manufactured metallic materials. The excellent antibacterial activity of the surfaces suggests that silver particles prepared by spray deposition are potential candidates for future dental implant applications.