Strategies for Improving Antimicrobial Properties of Stainless Steel

Abstract

<jats:p>In this review, strategies for improving the antimicrobial properties of stainless steel (SS) are presented. The main focus given is to present current strategies for surface modification of SS, which alter surface characteristics in terms of surface chemistry, topography and wettability/surface charge, without influencing the bulk attributes of the material. As SS exhibits excellent mechanical properties and satisfactory biocompatibility, it is one of the most frequently used materials in medical applications. It is widely used as a material for fabricating orthopedic prosthesis, cardiovascular stents/valves and recently also for three dimensional (3D) printing of custom made implants. Despite its good mechanical properties, SS lacks desired biofunctionality, which makes it prone to bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Due to increased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, it is imperative to achieve antibacterial properties of implants. Thus, many different approaches were proposed and are discussed herein. Emphasis is given on novel approaches based on treatment with highly reactive plasma, which may alter SS topography, chemistry and wettability under appropriate treatment conditions. This review aims to present and critically discuss different approaches and propose novel possibilities for surface modification of SS by using highly reactive gaseous plasma in order to obtain a desired biological response.</jats:p>

Multi-Omics Analysis of Oral Bacterial Biofilm on Titanium Oxide Nanostructure Modified Implant Surface: in Vivo Sequencing-Based Pilot Study in Beagle Dogs

“…Despite the fact that the bacterial community composition of peri-implant niches did not show signi cant differences, comparative metatranscriptomic analysis might reveal the underlying mechanisms. Several investigations showed that nanostructured titanium surfaces were considered to have considerable impact on inhibiting bacteria adhesion [52,53]. GO functional analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes between the 3 groups were mainly enriched in the GO terms of biological process and cellular component.…”

Use of Plasma Technologies for Antibacterial Surface Properties of Metals

“…The most commonly used biocompatible metal materials for medical tools and implants are titanium and titanium alloys, stainless steels, cobalt-based alloys, magnesium-based alloys and others (tantalum, nitinol, platinum-based alloys, gold alloys, etc.) [ 4 , 23 , 24 ]. Biocompatible metal materials are frequently used for implantable devices for different applications, as presented in Figure 1 .…”

Antimicrobial Peptides-Coated Stainless Steel for Fighting Biofilms Formation for Food and Medical Fields: Review of Literature

“…This metal is selected for its mechanical and chemical stability, biocompatibility, good corrosion resistance, low price, and non-toxicity. It is mostly employed in medical sectors for orthopedic implants and prostheses, cardiovascular valves and stents, and also for 3D printing of custom-made implants [24]. Moreover, in agri-food industries, stainless steel is selected since it does not affect the food's color or taste without contaminating it.…”