Ag-enriched TiO2 nanocoating apposite for self-sanitizing/ self-sterilizing/ self-disinfecting of glass surfaces

Abstract

The excellent strategy to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is to inhibit the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2. Since fomites are one of the vital routes of coronaviral transmission, disinfecting of fomites play a pivotal role in curbing its survival on the contaminated surfaces. Available commercial disinfectants cannot keep the contaminated surfaces sanitized all the time. Self-disinfecting ability of Ag-enriched TiO2 nanocoating due to its superb photocatalytic efficiency can effectively reduce infections caused by spread of pathogens at public places. Anatase Ag–TiO2 nanocoatings synthesized by sol-gel process at 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5% enriching concentrations were casted on glass substrates by spin-coating technique and subsequently annealed at 650 °C. The morphological shape, crystallographic structure, light absorbance, photo-luminosity, vibrational modes, and functional groups of Ag–TiO2 nanocoating on glass surface were studied by FE-SEM, GIXRD, UV–Visible, Photoluminescence, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy. The developed anatase Ag–TiO2 nanocoatings manifested to improve photocatalytic disinfecting performance due to the achieved small crystallite size of 10.5–19.2 nm, diminished band gap energy of 2.56–2.60 eV, elevated surface area of 0.802–1.470 ×105 cm2/g, and enhanced light absorbance. Among the enriched specimens, 0.5% Ag–TiO2 nanocoatings predicted an overall exalted functionality compared to pristine one.