Synergic antibacterial coatings combining titanium nanocolumns and tellurium nanorods

Abstract

The glancing angle deposition technique by magnetron sputtering is a scalable technique that allows the production of nanostructured coatings in large areas [1]. In recent works, we have shown that nanocolumnar coatings made of titanium were successfully prepared with this method [2] and how the adherence and proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus were dramatically reduced while the biocompatibility towards human cells was preserved [3]. In this new work, not only Gram-positive bacteria but also Gram-negative ones (E. Coli) have been used to test the response of different coatings fabricated in two set-ups, one of them being a semi-industrial equipment, in order to check the robustness of this approach. Moreover, tellurium nanorods have been synthesized on top of the nanocolumns using a hydrothermal and environmentally-friendly approach. It will be shown that the antibacterial behavior is enhanced when this synergic route combining titanium nanocolumns and tellurium nanorods is used, especially in the case of long nanocolumns. Furthermore, all the coatings remain biocompatible for human cells and allow for their proliferation.

References: [1] A. Barranco et al., Perspectives on oblique angle deposition of thin films: From fundamentals to devices. Progress in Materials Science 76 (2016) 59¿153. [2] R. Alvarez et al., Nanostructured Ti thin films by magnetron sputtering at oblique angles. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 49 (2016) 045303 (10pp.). [3] I. Izquierdo-Barba et al., Nanocolumnar coatings with selective behavior towards osteoblast and Staphylococcus aureus proliferation. Acta Biomaterialia 15 (2015) 20-28.