Plasma Deposition of Silver Nanoparticles onto Stainless Steel for the Prevention of Fungal Biofilms: A Case Study on Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A silver nanoparticle composite film was deposited onto stainless steel to reduce the adhesion strength of the model yeast S. cerevisiae. Deposition was carried out under cold-plasma conditions, combining RF glow discharge and silver sputtering, Shear-flow-induced detachment experiments demonstrated the film's anti-adhesive properties. However, the surface tended to undergo some chemical changes after use, such an increase in hydrophilicity. XPS analysis confirmed the presence of metallic silver for the native plasma-modified surface and revealed silver oxidation after use. The silver content was also lowered, due to the progressive release of ionic silver from the composite into the medium.