Influence of gas nitriding of Ti6Al4V alloy at high temperature on the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus

In this in vitro study, we investigated the influence of titanium nitride (TiN) treatments on the Staphylococcus aureus colonisation and biofilm formation on Ti6Al4V alloy at different times. The development of biofilm in static tests was carried out in a TSB culture medium at 37 °C, for 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. Bacterial adhesion on nitrided titanium alloy was analysed by both epifluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the number of attached bacteria, their viability, and distribution were different for nitrided alloys than for the control group (non-nitrided alloys).