TiN-Ag as an antimicrobial and wear resistant coating

Nosocomial infections are a major clinical concern, posing great risks for patients and rising costs health services providers. This work aims at developing hard, wear resistant coating, whose antimicrobial properties shall prevent the transmission of infections. TiN coatings deposited by Physical Vapour Deposition, PVD, with different Ag contents have been studied, especially in relation to hardness adhesion, their microstructure morphology. The activity surfaces has assessed against Staphylococcus epidermidis time frames, one most troublesome source trauma orthopaedic surgeries. electro-tribology silver contest studied. Finally, on surgical acetabular reamers resistance tests carried out synthetic composite bone (simulating cortical cancellous bone). Results shown good coating adhesion stainless steel (both quantitatively scratch qualitatively bone), while decreased higher percentages. Furthermore, exhibited S.epidermidis , limited release, remarkable (vs. uncoated reamers), electrical contact provided valuable information about evolution friction status coating. Therefore TiN-Ag present promising features reducing risk infections, monitoring extending cutting edge life quality, thus limiting damage living tissues, e.g. necrosis. • Effect deposition processes content, morphology microstructure. Antimicrobial after 6 24 h, release. Different performance depending content. coated reamer bone.