Effect of Low Copper Addition to As-Forged 304 Stainless Steel for Dental Applications

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of incorporating low copper (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 wt.%) additions into as-forged AISI 304 stainless steel (304SS). The microstructures and mechanical properties of the steel were examined using scanning electron microscopy and a universal testing machine. The antibacterial properties of the Cu-bearing 304SS specimens were investigated using Escherichia coli. Each specimen was soaked in artificial saliva to detect the release of copper ions through inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The addition of copper had no significant effect on the microstructure of the as-forged Cu-bearing 304SS, but it slightly increased its maximum tensile strength. The antibacterial rate of the as-cast and as-forged 304SS with 2 wt.% Cu was over 80%, which corresponded to an increase in the release of copper ions. This study demonstrates that low-Cu-content stainless steel can reduce bacteria and can be a suitable material for the oral environment because of the low release of Cu ions.