Remarkable bactericidal traits of a metal-ceramic composite coating elated by hierarchically structured surface
Jiang Xu,
Zhijian Pan,
Shaung Peng,
Yanjie Zhao,
Shuyun Jiang,
Yu jie Chen,
Zong-Han Xie,
Paul Munroe
Affiliations
Jiang Xu
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, PR China; Corresponding author
Zhijian Pan
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, PR China
Shaung Peng
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, PR China
Yanjie Zhao
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, PR China
Shuyun Jiang
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 Si Pai Lou, Nanjing 210096, PR China
Yu jie Chen
School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Zong-Han Xie
School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Paul Munroe
School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Summary: A ceramic-based coating with a hierarchical surface structure was synthesized via solid-state reaction enabled by a double cathode glow discharge technique. This innovative coating comprises two distinct layers, specifically an outer layer with a well-aligned micro-pillar array and a dense inner layer. Both are composed of a face-centered cubic Cu(Co,Ni,Fe) solid solution phase together with a spinel-type Fe(Al,Cr)2O4 oxide. This coating exhibits superhydrophobicity and, yet, a very strong adhesion to water, i.e., the so-called “rose petal effect”. This coating also exhibits highly efficient antibacterial ability against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria under both dark and visible light conditions. The excellent antibacterial property originates from the synergistic effects through the release of Cu ions coupled with photothermal activity upon light activation.
