Medical implant with controllable electro-mechanical interactions at a material/bacteria interface

A method for forming an antibacterial implantable medical device or medical material, comprising:

• providing an implantable medical device or medical material, the implantable medical device or medical material having a surface;
• forming a titanium coating on the implantable medical device or medical material;
• growing titanium dioxide nanowires on the titanium coating;
• treating the titanium dioxide nanowires with a nitrogen-containing gas and converting the titanium dioxide nanowires to titanium nitride nanowires extending from the titanium coating on the implantable medical device or medical material,
• wherein the titanium nitride nanowires are grown such that they extend at a selected angle from the titanium coating configured to exert a mechanical and electrical force on bacteria bilayer membranes sufficient to at least partially disrupt the bacteria bilayer membranes, and wherein the selected angle is between 60 degrees and 90 degrees.