Functional properties of ceramic-Ag nanocomposite coatings produced by magnetron sputtering

In recent years, the use of nanocomposite materials to functionalize surfaces has been investigated, taking advantage of the complementary properties of the nanocomposite constituents. Among this family of materials, ceramic-Ag coatings have been widely studied due to the large variety of functionalities that silver possesses and the possibility of tuning the coating's practical features by selecting the proper matrix to support this noble metal. Therefore, this review focuses on the effects of silver nanoparticles on the functional properties of ceramic-Ag nanocomposites. The chemistry, structure, morphology and topography of the coatings are analyzed with respect to the changes produced by the silver nanoparticles' distribution, amount and sizes and by altering production process variables. To offer a clear understanding of the functionalities of these materials, the optical, electrical, mechanical, tribological, electrochemical and biological properties reported in the last decade are reviewed, focusing on the ability to tune such properties by modifying the silver distribution, morphology and composition. In particular, the surface plasmon resonance, self-lubricating ability and antibacterial effect of silver are covered in detail, establishing their correlation with factors such as silver diffusion, segregation and ionization.