Microstructure, antibacterial properties and wear resistance of plasma Cu-Ni surface modified titanium

A Cu-Ni alloyed layer on titanium was obtained by using a plasma surface alloying technique to improve antibacterial activity and wear resistance. The microstructure and phase constituents of Cu-Ni alloyed layer were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial properties and wear resistance of treated titanium were investigated. The results show that the Cu-Ni alloyed titanium exhibits high antimicrobial activity to Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) due to the formation of Cu-containing phase. Moreover, the Cu-Ni alloyed layer can greatly improve the hardness and wear resistance of pure titanium. It is expected that the Cu-Ni alloyed titanium combining excellent bactericidal ability with wear resistance might provide a durable antibacterial function for biomedical application.