Antireflective, Transparent, Water-Resistant, and\nAntibacterial Zn-Doped Silicon Oxide Thin Films for Touchscreen-Based\nDisplay Applications

Environmental\ncontamination by microorganisms is a major cause\nof transmission of several infectious diseases. Interactive touchscreen-based\ndevices are known to be hotspots for pathogenic microorganisms, from\nwhere they spread onto the human body through contact. Therefore,\nan antibacterial coating can play an important role in reducing contamination\nby microorganisms. Herein, eco-friendly and highly transparent polytetrafluoroethylene\n(PTFE)-coated zinc-doped silicon oxide (SZO/PTFE) thin films are demonstrated\nas antireflective and antibacterial smartphone panel coatings. The\nSZO and SZO/PTFE thin films exhibit very low refractive index and\nhigh transmittance similar to those of bare glass. Furthermore, an\nultrathin coating of PTFE on SZO films explicitly increases the hydrophobic\nproperties of SZO thin films without affecting the antibacterial activity.\nSZO/PTFE thin films also demonstrated good mechanical durability and\nlong-term stability by presenting consistent transmittance and hydrophobic\nproperties under harsh conditions. Our results demonstrate a simple\nmethod to realize extremely good multi-functional surface coatings\nfeaturing antireflective ability, hydrophobicity, and superior antibacterial\nactivity for smart panels, touchscreens, and medical devices.