title: Development of silver-containing austenite antibacterial stainless steels for biomedical applications part I: microstructure characteristics, mechanical properties and antibacterial mechanisms.
abstract: The as-quenched (AQ) microstructure of the Ag-containing alloys was found to be essentially a mixture of austenite (γ) and Ag phases. The Ag phase precipitates had a face-centered-cubic structure and lattice parameter a = 4.09 Å. When the alloy contained Ag ≥0.2 wt%, the mechanical properties were slightly enhanced because of the precipitate strengthening by the Ag phase precipitates. Moreover, the Ag-containing alloys exhibited ductile fracture after tensile testing. The results of an antibacterial test revealed that the Ag phase precipitates play a key role in the antibacterial mechanism of Ag-containing alloys: Ag(+) ions released from the Ag phase precipitates can kill bacteria. It is suggested that as AISI 316L alloy has an Ag content ≥0.2 wt%, it will have excellent antibacterial properties against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with an antibacterial rate of nearly 100%.
authors: School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
authors: Chiung-Fang
authors: CF
authors: Huang
authors: Hsi-Jen
authors: HJ
authors: Chiang
authors: Wen-Chien
authors: WC
authors: Lan
authors: Hsin-Hua
authors: HH
authors: Chou
authors: Keng-Liang
authors: KL
authors: Ou
authors: Chih-Hua
authors: CH
authors: Yu