Titania sol-gel coatings containing silver on newly developed TiSi alloys and their antibacterial effect

•Newly developed titanium silicon alloy•Titania coatings with two form and concentration of silver•The antibactericidal effect of coatings against E. coli and S. epidermidis•The cytotoxicity effect of coatings against L929 and U-2 OS cell lines

New materials with appropriate mechanical properties and an antibacterial effect are constantly being sought for orthopedic and dental applications. The aim of this study was to investigate newly developed TiSi alloys coated with titania sol-gel containing silver. Titanium alloys with 5 or 10 wt% of silicon were prepared by vacuum arc remelting and dip-coated with titania sol containing either AgNO3 or Ag3PO4 in two concentrations. The size and distribution of the particles in the layer were evaluated, as well as layer compactness (SEM). The antibacterial effect (against E. coli and S. epidermidis) and cytotoxicity (towards L929 and U-2 OS cell lines) of these materials were then tested. Despite cracking of the coatings after firing, the coatings demonstrated very good antibacterial effects against both E. coli and S. epidermidis after 24 h of interaction. None of the tested materials were toxic to both cell lines. Collectively, our results suggest that these materials are promising candidates for orthopedic applications.