Antibacterial Property of Martensitic Stainless Steel Generated by Cu Ion Implantation

Copper ions were implanted into a AISI420 martensitic stainless steel (SS) by metal vapor vacuum arc (MEVVA) with a dose range 0.2 xlO17 -S.OxlO17 cm"2 at the energy of lOOkeV. The Cu-implanted stainless steel was treated by a special antibacterial treatment subsequently. The phase compositions in the implanted layer were studied by glancing X-ray diffraction ( GXRD) and changes of bacterial appearance on the surface of Cu un-implanted SS and Cu-implanted SS with antibacterial treatment SS were observed by bio-TEM (transmission electron microscopy) separately. The results showed that a suitable amount of Cu-rich phase was dispersed in the implanted layer of Cu-implanted SS that was treated by special antibacterial treatment. So the Cu-implanted martensitic stainless steel with antibacterial treatment reveals excellent antibacterial property against both E. coli and S. aureus.