Bacterial adhesion, colonization, and spread on aluminum alloy surfaces pose significant risks to human health and public safety. To address these issues, this investigation employed an ultrasonic-assisted electrodeposition method to synthesize long-lasting antibacterial Cu-TiO₂ nanocomposite coatings on porous anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) substrates. Leveraging the cavitation effect of ultrasound, this approach fostered the dispersive incorporation of TiO₂ nanoparticles into the resulting composite coating, thereby expediting the crystallization process of electrodeposition and refining the granular structure. With an optimal concentration of 4 g/L of TiO₂ nanoparticles, the resultant C-4T composite coating displayed a dense and homogeneous microstructure, with TiO₂ nanoparticles predominantly localized at the grain boundaries of Cu grains. Rigorous testing revealed that the surface of the C-4T sample maintained an enduring antibacterial efficacy of 96.8%, even after the outer Cu-TiO₂ layer was worn away. This high level of durability stems from the continuous release of Cu ions and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the coating’s composite region (CR) composed of a porous AAO film and Cu-TiO₂. The porous AAO film, serving as “nanocontainers,” offers an ideal deposition carrier for the uniform Cu-TiO₂ composite coating. These agents actively disrupt the integrity and chemical composition of Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells, leading to significant bacterial cell damage and death, thereby conferring superior and persistent antibacterial effects even after specific polishing. This study advances the field of durable antibacterial surface treatments and opens avenues for the sanitary use of nanocomposite coatings in the public health and medical sectors.

中文翻译：

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具有长期抗菌活性的 Cu-TiO2 纳米复合涂层的超声辅助电沉积


细菌在铝合金表面的粘附、定植和传播对人类健康和公共安全构成重大风险。为了解决这些问题，本研究采用了超声波辅助电沉积方法，在多孔阳极氧化铝 （AAO） 基材上合成了持久的抗菌 Cu-TiO₂ 纳米复合涂层。利用超声波的空化效应，这种方法促进了 TiO₂ 纳米颗粒的分散掺入所得复合涂层中，从而加快了电沉积的结晶过程并细化了颗粒结构。在最佳浓度为 4 g/L TiO₂ 纳米颗粒的情况下，所得的 C-4T 复合涂层显示出致密和均匀的微观结构，其中 TiO₂ 纳米颗粒主要位于铜晶粒的晶界。严格的测试表明，即使在 Cu-TiO₂ 外层磨损后，C-4T 样品的表面仍保持 96.8% 的持久抗菌效果。这种高水平的耐用性源于铜离子和活性氧 （ROS） 从涂层的复合区域 （CR） 中持续释放，该区域由多孔 AAO 膜和 Cu-TiO₂ 组成。多孔 AAO 薄膜用作“纳米容器”，为均匀的 Cu-TiO₂ 复合涂层提供了理想的沉积载体。这些试剂会主动破坏大肠杆菌 （E. coli） 细胞的完整性和化学成分，导致严重的细菌细胞损伤和死亡，从而即使在特定抛光后也能赋予卓越和持久的抗菌效果。 这项研究推动了耐用抗菌表面处理领域，并为纳米复合涂层在公共卫生和医疗领域的卫生使用开辟了途径。