A novel coping metal material CoCrCu alloy fabricated by selective laser melting with antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties

By Ren, Ling; Memarzadeh, Kaveh; Zhang, Shuyuan; Sun, Ziqing; Yang, Chunguang; Ren, Guogang; Allaker, Robert P.; Yang, Ke
Published in Materials Science and Engineering: C NULL 2016

Abstract

AbstractObjective The aim of this study was to fabricate a novel coping metal CoCrCu alloy using a selective laser melting (SLM) technique with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities and to investigate its microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Methods Novel CoCrCu alloy was fabricated using {SLM} from a mixture of commercial CoCr based alloy and elemental Cu powders. {SLM} CoCr without Cu served as control. Antibacterial activity was analyzed using standard antimicrobial tests, and antibiofilm properties were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscope. Cu distribution and microstructure were determined using scanning electron microscope, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Corrosion resistance was evaluated by potential dynamic polarization and biocompatibility measured using an {MTT} assay. Results {SLM} CoCrCu alloys were found to be bactericidal and able to inhibit biofilm formation. Other factors such as microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility were similar to those of {SLM} CoCr alloys. Significance The addition of appropriate amounts of Cu not only maintains normal beneficial properties of CoCr based alloys, but also provides {SLM} CoCrCu alloys with excellent antibacterial and antibiofilm capabilities. This material has the potential to be used as a coping metal for dental applications.

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