EFFECT OF COPPER IMPLANTATION ON ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL

Antibacterial activity has been studied by copper ion implantation into OCrlSNi9 stainless steel.Ions extracted from a metal vapor vacuum arc (MEWA) are sourced with 60-100keV energyand a dose range (0.2-2.0)×10^17 ions cm^-2. Saturation doses, surface concentration were calculated and the relationships between energy, dose and antibacterial activity were analyzed.Novel phases such as Fe4Cu3 and Cu0.81Ni0.19 were found after copper implantation by X-ray diffraction. The novel phases' effects on antibacterial activity have been investigated. The results show that saturation dose varies with the ions'energy. Antibacterial activity has close relation with copper's concentration in implanted layer and Cu-rich phase.