Radio frequency sputtering of self-sanitizing material on NiTi archwires

Objective: The objective of this study was to coat orthodontic nickel titanium (NiTi) archwires with nano-particles (NP) of silver (Ag) combined with nano polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to produce a smooth antimicrobial nanocomposite layer by using a radio frequency (RF) sputtering process and to evaluate the coated surfaces in terms of morphology, nano-roughness, adhesion strength, hardness, and antimicrobial activity. Materials and methods: Super-elastic NiTi archwires (diameter = 0.4 mm, length = 160 mm) were surface cleaned and sterilized prior to the RF sputtering, using a mixture of nano Ag powder (20 nm; purity > 99.95%) and PTFE powder (25 nm; purity > 99.95%). X-ray diffraction apparatus (XRD), flex atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the morphology and nano roughness of the coated archwires. Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) were selected to evaluate the antimicrobial activity. Results: A uniform and homogeneous nanocomposite coating was obtained without agglomeration. Surface roughness values decreased with increasing sputtering time, while the coated samples exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against both bacterial strains. AFM analysis demonstrated that sputtering time strongly influenced adhesion resistance, hardness, and coating stability, and the antibacterial activity was highly effective against both L. acidophilus and S. mutans. Conclusion: The sputtering time of 30 min gave a smooth coating layer on the surface of NiTi archwire with strong antimicrobial resistance that offers significant potential for dental applications.