Synthesis and characterization of TiO2: Al thin films for bacteria resistance in the implanted dental

Surface modification of dental implants is an important key process in the fabrication of these medical materials. In this paper, a novel method of aluminum-doped titanium oxide (TiO2: Al) thin films as a functional coating for resistance to adhesion bacteria in dental implantology by RF magnetron plasma sputtering technique is presented. The ratios of doping were (0, 2, 4, 6) % weight concentration. The characteristics of produced films have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural properties, atomic force microscopy (AFM) for surface morphology, and antibacterial tests. The results showed that the phase of TiO2 was anatase type and the crystal phase was tetragonal and the crystalline size increased from 21 to 26.27 nm with increasing of Al concentration; the image of AFM showed the roughness increased from 0.95 to 1.46 nm with increasing Al concentration except for Al (6%) concentration. The antimicrobial results showed good efficacy of the prepared thin films in resisting bacterial growth and the zone of bacterial growth inhibition reach 21 mm.