Preparation, antibacterial effects and corrosion resistant of porous Cu–TiO2 coatings

Antibacterial TiO2 coatings with different concentrations of Cu (Cu–TiO2) were prepared by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) on pre-sputtered CuTi films. The effect of Cu concentrations in CuTi films on the MAO process was investigated. The Cu–TiO2 coatings were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion resistance of Cu–TiO2 coatings was evaluated via potentiodynamic polarization method. The antibacterial properties were assessed by two methods: spread plate method and fluorescence staining. The experimental results demonstrate that the coatings are porous and consist of anatase phase, rutile phase and unoxidized titanium. The CuTi films are almost completely oxidized and the thickness of all MAO coatings is about 5–10 μm. Cu mainly exists as CuO in the TiO2 coatings. The Cu–TiO2 coatings exhibit excellent antibacterial activities, and the antibacterial rate gradually rise with the increase in Cu concentration in the MAO coatings. The corrosion resistance of MAO coatings is also improved slightly.