One-step in situ synthesis of nano silver-hydrotalcite coating for enhanced antibacterial and degradation property of magnesium alloys

•Ag-LDH coating was prepared by one-step hydrothermal reaction onto magnesium alloy.•The coating improved antibacterial and degradation property of alloy substrate.•The study provides facile preparation of functional coating onto magnesium alloy. The nano-silver/Mg-Al hydrotalcite (Ag-LDH) functional coating was prepared onto magnesium alloy by one-step hydrothermal reaction for improving its antibacterial and degrading property. The properties of coating involving microstructure, composition, in vitro degradation, cytocompatibility and antibacterial were also studied. The results show that the nano silver particles and hydrotalcite coating were in-situ formed from the alloy surface during the reacting process. Additionally, the pH variation and antimicrobial test reveal that the fabricated Ag-LDH coating can effectively suppress the degradation of the matrix and significantly inhibit the proliferation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which is with great potential to improve functionality and corrosion resistance of biomedical magnesium alloy.