ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE AND AG-INCORPORATED DLC THIN FILMS

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Ag-incorporated diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were prepared on different substrates. The films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). TiO2 and Ag were selected due to their potential values as biomaterials. Silver is effective against a wide range of spectrum including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast. TiO2 and Ag-incorporated DLC thin films are suitable candidates for application on biomedical devices and implants due to their biocompatibility, chemical inertness, and mechanical properties. Thin films are widely used in coronary artery stents, dental implants, heart valves and other vascular devices. The microstructure and antibacterial properties of TiO2 and silver-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have been investigated. The films structural quality was evaluated using SEM microscopy, AFM microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity was determined using Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis. Our results demonstrate that the TiO2, nitrogen doped titanium oxides TON and Ag-incorporated DLC films are potentially useful as biomedical materials having good antibacterial properties.