Robust yet self-healing antifogging/antibacterial dual-functional composite films by a simple one-pot strategy

Dual-functional films with both antifogging and antibacterial properties have a wide range of applications on the surface of transparent materials. However, few studies have been reported so far about such dual-functional films. In this work, we developed self-healing poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid)/Ag (polymer-Ag) composite films simultaneously with antifogging and antibacterial properties via a simple one-pot strategy. The antifogging property is attributed to sufficient hydroxyl groups of polymer. Ag nanoparticles obtained through thermal treatment were homogeneously distributed in the transparent composite films, and could inhibit the growth and lead to the death of bacteria such as E. coli. Polymer crosslinking and introduction of inorganic nanomaterial endowed the composite films with high mechanical robustness, and the films demonstrated the highest 5A adhesion grade, 8H pencil hardness, and endured washing test. What's more, the composite films are capable of healing scratches caused by external forces. The robust yet self-healing dual-functional composite films with high performance by a simple mixing system would provide promising potential for their applications in various fields like medical devices, optical lens, goggles, and optical windows.