Innovative Zr-Cu-Ag thin film metallic glass deposed by magnetron PVD sputtering for antibacterial applications

Zr-based thin film metallic glasses appear as promising coatings for biomedical applications, due to their microstructural and physicochemical properties. Materials used as medical instruments or devices require antibacterial activity to avoid nosocomial infections. In this paper, an optimized Zr-Cu-Ag thin film metallic glass deposited by PVD magnetron sputtering is evaluated for antibacterial applications. Ternary Zr39Cu39Ag22 TFMG was elaborated by PVD magnetron sputtering using a multi-target reactor. It has been demonstrated that this thin film is amorphous, uniformly thick and chemically homogenous. Mechanical, electrochemical properties and thermal stability were also characterized. These films display high hardness and Young's modulus, as well as an interesting passive behavior. Finally, this TFMG exhibits a strong antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus.