Antibacterial properties of Ta-based ceramic coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering

Abstract Combatting the bacterial infections is an important aspect of any postoperative therapy. Bacterial adhesion to the surface of a biomaterial depends on its properties, such as surface roughness, topography and wettability. The present study analyzes the composition and surface parameters of nanostructured Ta, Ta2O5, TaON coatings and the correlation with their antibacterial properties. The elemental distribution, phase and chemical composition of the coatings were explored by X-ray phase analysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface morphology and topography were observed by atomic force microscopy and electron scanning microscopy. The coated surfaces’ advancing contact angles were evaluated by tensiometric measurements. The results of the bacterial viability tests demonstrated the strong bactericidal activity of Ta-based coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering.