The fabrication of silver/zirconia coatings: characterization, corrosion and antibacterial properties

Abstract

Ceramic coatings, which are typically chemically stable and resistant to wear, corrosion, and oxidation, have been utilized in medical applications. The properties of ceramic coatings could be increased by modifying them with metals/alloys. Thus, the aims of this work are to obtain information regarding the effect of surface alterations on the behavior and performance of materials through the growth of ZrO<inf>2</inf> and Ag-deposited ZrO<inf>2</inf> coatings on 316L stainless steel substrates. This research has examined the effect of a ceramic and metal-coated ceramics on a stainless steel bulk, with a specific focus on surface qualities including wettability, corrosion behavior, and bacterial adherence. The zirconia (ZrO<inf>2</inf>) and Ag-deposited ZrO<inf>2</inf> (Ag-ZrO<inf>2</inf>) were produced on 316L stainless steel surface. The phase structure, binding energy, functional groups, surface and cross sectional morphology, elemental distribution, roughness and wettability of all surfaces were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX)-mapping, profilometer and contact angle measurements, respectively. As the first failure, the adhesion strength of the coating was measured as 170 N. Ag-ZrO<inf>2</inf> surfaces indicated hydrophobic character compared to 316L and ZrO<inf>2</inf> surfaces. Corrosion behavior of all surfaces was investigated in SBF solution at 37 °C by means of Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV). Modifying the surface influenced the corrosion properties of 316L. Corrosion current density of ZrO<inf>2</inf> and Ag-ZrO<inf>2</inf> coated 316L materials was not significantly different than bare 316L, and the coated surfaces exhibited passive behavior in SBF. The antimicrobial efficiency of the surfaces was assessed in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), two common pathogens associated with infections related to implants. The antibacterial activity of ZrO<inf>2</inf> and Ag-ZrO<inf>2</inf> coated surfaces was found to be more effective than that of 316L. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.