Cr–Ag coatings: synthesis, microstructure and antimicrobial properties

ABSTRACT

Cr–Ag coatings for antimicrobial surface applications were fabricated by magnetron sputtering. The coating microstructure and mechanical properties were characterised using XPS, XRD, FESEM, TEM and nanoindentation measurement as a function of Ag content. The antimicrobial efficacy of these Cr–Ag coatings was evaluated against the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, revealing varied levels of bacterial killing. This study warrants further investigation into the antimicrobial mechanism of action of silver and future applications of Cr–Ag as antimicrobial coating for healthcare settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Antimicrobial surfaces
• coating
• silver
• chromium

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Afshin Karami http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8881-4468

Victoria G. Pederick http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9830-1060

Christopher A. McDevitt http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1596-4841

Additional information

Funding

Afshin Karami thanks the support of Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. This work was supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project [DP160104632] to Z.X. and H.Z. Australian Research Council Discovery Project [DP170102102] and a Future Fellowship [FT170100006] to C.A.M.