A method according to one embodiment includes combining an amorphous iron-based alloy and at least one metal selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, boron, gadolinium, nickel phosphorous, yttrium, and alloys thereof to form a mixture, wherein the at least one metal is present in the mixture from about 5 atomic percent (at %) to about 55 at %; and ball milling the mixture at least until an amorphous alloy of the iron-based alloy and the at least one metal is formed. Several amorphous iron-based metal alloys are also presented, including corrosion-resistant amorphous iron-based metal alloys and radiation-shielding amorphous iron-based metal alloys.

The metallic glassy alloy powders for antibacterial coating are mechanically alloyed mixtures of copper, titanium, and nickel nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are alloyed by ball-milling to form glassy, metallic powders. The alloy preferably has a copper:titanium:nickel atomic percentage ratio of about 50:20:30, referred to herein as Cu.sub.50Ti.sub.20Ni.sub.30. The powdered alloy is applied to a suitable substrate, such as stainless steel medical instruments, by cold spray powder coating. The coated substrate exhibits antibacterial properties compared to an uncoated substrate.