Microstructure, antibacterial properties and wear resistance of plasma Cu–Ni surface modified titanium

A Cu–Ni alloyed layer on titanium was obtained by using a plasma surface alloying technique to improve antibacterial activity and wear resistance. The microstructure and phase constituents of Cu–Ni alloyed layer were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial properties and wear resistance of treated titanium were investigated. The results show that the Cu–Ni alloyed titanium exhibits high antimicrobial activity to Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) due to the formation of Cu-containing phase. Moreover, the Cu–Ni alloyed layer can greatly improve the hardness and wear resistance of pure titanium. It is expected that the Cu–Ni alloyed titanium combining excellent bactericidal ability with wear resistance might provide a durable antibacterial function for biomedical application.