Abstract
The aim of this study: Evaluation of the antibacterial properties of two-component metal coatings based on Cu-Ta and Cu-Nb applied to samples from the biomedical Ti-6Al-4V alloy by magnetron sputtering. Methods. Two-component metal coatings based on Cu-Ta and Cu-Nb were obtained by magnetron sputtering with joint spraying of targets made of pure metals Cu, Nb, Ta. The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of the coatings were evaluated in vitro using the disk diffusion method, also known as the radial diffusion method in agar. Results. It was found that coatings with a thickness of 10 microns demonstrated varying degrees of antimicrobial efficacy during three days of testing: the maximum inhibition zone of the Ta-Cu coating reached 24.0 mm for S. Aureus and 17.0 mm for C. Albicans. For Nb-Cu coating, the maximum inhibition zone reached 25.0 mm for S. Aureus and 15.5 mm for C. Albicans. Conclusions. The optimal parameters of direct current magnetron sputtering of Ta-Cu Nb-Cu antibacterial thin films on Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates have been selected. The antimicrobial effect of Ta-Cu and Nb-Cu coatings is more effective against bacteria than against fungi, and with the same thickness, Ta-Cu coatings are better suited to protect the endoprosthesis from microbial infections than Nb-Cu coatings. Ta-Cu and Nb-Cu coatings are promising for the production of endoprosthesis implants with increased surface resistance to both bacteria and fungi. The results obtained are promising for the development of technologies for obtaining coatings for medical implants with increased bactericidal and biocompatible surface properties.