Photo-Cross-Linkable Polysaccharide-Based Multilayered Films for Durable Micropatterned Antifogging Surfaces

Antifogging coatings with high durability and spatial controllability are essential for advanced optical applications operating under humid or thermally dynamic environments. Herein, we report the design and fabrication of robust, photo-cross-linkable polysaccharide-based multilayer films composed of methacrylated chitosan (CHI-MA) and methacrylated carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-MA) prepared via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. By introducing methacrylate groups to the polysaccharide backbone, the resulting films exhibit photo-cross-linking capability while preserving antifogging performance. We demonstrate that UV-induced cross-linking significantly enhances the chemical and mechanical stability of the resulting films without altering their optical clarity. Furthermore, spatially defined UV exposure through photomasks enables high-resolution micropatterning, allowing realization of stimuli-responsive visual display under fogging conditions as well as hierarchical humidity-resolved contrast for programmable optical display through multilayered photopatterning. These versatile photopatternable polysaccharide films, combining structural robustness, antifogging performance, and spatial patterning capability, offer promising opportunities for next-generation smart coatings in sensors, displays, and environmental interfaces.