Evaluation of the Adhesion Properties of Stainless Steel Samples with Vanadium-Containing Nitride Coatings with Respect to Staphylococcus aureus

Stainless steel is widely used for medical implants, but bacterial adhesion and subsequent infection remain significant challenges. This study evaluates the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to stainless steel substrates with vanadium-containing PVD nitride coatings (VN, (Zr,V)N, and (Zr,Nb,V)N) in comparison with vanadium-free nitride coatings (ZrN, (Zr,Ti)N, (Zr,Hf)N, (Zr,Nb)N, and (Zr,Hf,Nb)N). Coatings were deposited using controlled accelerated arc evaporation, and bacterial adhesion was assessed after sterilization by quantifying colony-forming units on Mueller–Hinton agar. The results showed that uncoated steel exhibited the lowest bacterial adhesion (30 CFU/mL), while mononitride coatings (ZrN and VN) demonstrated the highest adhesion levels (700 and 800 CFU/mL, respectively). Multi-component coatings, particularly those containing hafnium, significantly reduced bacterial adhesion compared to single-component coatings. Vanadium-containing coatings showed corrosion spots and increased adhesion, likely due to microbiologically induced corrosion and surface degradation. Surface morphology and elemental analysis revealed that coatings with fewer defects and lower roughness promoted lower bacterial attachment. The findings indicate that multi-component nitride coatings, especially Hf-containing compositions, and improved surface quality can effectively reduce S. aureus adhesion, offering a promising strategy to minimize implant-associated infections. Further optimization of coating deposition and surface preparation is recommended to enhance antibacterial performance.