ABSTRACT
The coating is frequently adopted to modify the product surface without influencing the essential features of the pristine products. Recently, significant demand has existed for efficient anti-fogging/anti-microbial surfaces in various applications to inhibit microbial growth with high transparency in high-humidity environments, especially in pandemics such as COVID-19. The current study used dual-functional chitosan (Ch) polysaccharide coating with highly hydrophilic properties to be progressively incorporated onto the glass substrates using a simple one-pot technique. Utilizing hot/cold fogging tests and plate count method, the dual-functional Ch/SiO2(3) layer possesses excellent antifogging performance and anti-microbial activity. The hydrogen bonds and electrostatic attractions formed between MSN and Ch result in a higher bound water ratio, as confirmed by the low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). Therefore, based on the chitosan/silica layer, 95 % is the minimum proportion of bound water necessary in the final layer structure to completely inhibit microbial and fogging activities.