Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of ZnO Nanoparticle Coatings for Titanium Orthodontic Fixed Retainers

This study delves into the utilization of cathodic electrophoretic deposition (epd) as a technique for the application of zinc oxide (zno) nanostructured films onto substrates made of ti6al4v alloy within an aqueous environment. the primary focus was to investigate the structural and topographical attributes of the coated films. these characteristics were meticulously examined using x-ray diffractometry (xrd) and atomic force microscopy (afm). a significant aspect of this research was the assessment of the antibacterial efficacy of these nanoparticle-coated films, particularly for their potential use in orthodontic fixed retainers. the experimental process involved the creation of films with varying properties by altering the concentrations of zno nanoparticles (2, 3, 4, 5 gm), the applied voltages (10, 30, 50 volt), and the spacing between the electrodes (1, 3, 5 cm). a notable observation was the correlation between the increase in coating mass and the applied voltage. the crystalline size of the films was consistently below 50nm, and an increase in surface roughness was observed in proportion to the voltage applied. the antibacterial properties of the epd-deposited zno films were particularly noteworthy. extensive testing revealed a high level of antibacterial activity against pathogens such as streptococcus mutans, lactobacillus, and candida albicans. these findings highlight the potential of using zno/ti6al4v composite structures in orthodontic applications, specifically for fixed retainers, due to their effective antibacterial properties and the controlled nanostructuring achievable through epd.