The antibacterial ability of an implant is governed by the interaction between the surface of the material and the cells. Nanosized features that promote bacterial killing were achieved through synthesizing a Zn/graphene/chitosan surface on a NiTi alloy. The surface morphology and microstructure of the Zn/graphene/chitosan surfaces were observed, and their antibacterial behavior was investigated. The Zn/graphene/chitosan surface exhibited 93 % antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which was higher than the Zn/chitosan surface (67 %), and it inhibited bacterial adhesion. This was attributed to the fast release of Zn ions from the Zn/graphene/chitosan surfaces and the sharp morphology of graphene on the surface. In addition, the adhesion of the Zn/graphene/chitosan coating increased with the amount of graphene content. This finding suggests that the synergy of graphene improves the antibacterial ability, bioactivity, and adhesion of Zn-containing coatings.