Surface contamination of titanium-based implants by microorganisms remains a major clinical challenge. In this study, grade 1 titanium substrates were modified by low-energy ion plating diversified (IPD) with copper ions at 3 keV and 7 keV to evaluate their morphological, structural, and preliminary biological behavior. Characterization by SEM, EDS, and XRF confirmed homogeneous copper incorporation, with similar concentrations (∼0.3 wt %) for both energies. SRIM simulations indicated Gaussian implantation profiles with peak concentrations at 4 nm and 6 nm below the surface, respectively. Salt spray testing showed that copper implantation did not impair the corrosion resistance of titanium. However, biological assays using Staphylococcus aureus revealed no inhibitory halos or significant cell death, indicating that copper ions implanted at these energies do not reach the surface or diffuse into the medium. These findings define the physical limitations of low-energy IPD for antimicrobial surface design, providing helpful guidance for future process optimization. This publication is licensed under You are free to share (copy and redistribute) this article in any medium or format and to adapt (remix, transform, and build upon) the material for any purpose, even commercially within the parameters below: Creative Commons (CC): This is a Creative Commons license. Attribution (BY): Credit must be given to the creator. *Disclaimer This summary highlights only some of the key features and terms of the actual license. It is not a license and has no legal value. Carefully review the actual license before using these materials. You are free to share (copy and redistribute) this article in any medium or format and to adapt (remix, transform, and build upon) the material for any purpose, even commercially within the parameters below: Creative Commons (CC): This is a Creative Commons license. Attribution (BY): Credit must be given to the creator. *Disclaimer This summary highlights only some of the key features and terms of the actual license. It is not a license and has no legal value. Carefully review the actual license before using these materials. You are free to share (copy and redistribute) this article in any medium or format and to adapt (remix, transform, and build upon) the material for any purpose, even commercially within the parameters below: Creative Commons (CC): This is a Creative Commons license. Attribution (BY): Credit must be given to the creator. *Disclaimer This summary highlights only some of the key features and terms of the actual license. It is not a license and has no legal value. Carefully review the actual license before using these materials.
Zanella et al. (Fri,) studied this question.