Self‐Cleaning and Antibacterial Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework Coatings

Abstract

AbstractSuperhydrophobic surface with self‐cleaning function like lotus leaf can inhibit bacterial adhesion to some extent; however, it cannot completely avoid bacterial contamination because it could not kill them. In this work, a facile modified sol–gel method to prepare self‐cleaning and antibacterial coating is proposed. Zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) nanoparticles with good hydrophobic and antibacterial properties are mixed with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) colloidal particle suspension, then, the PVDF/ZIF‐8 nanocomposite is modified with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H‐perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (POTS) to prepare PVDF/ZIF‐8/POTS (PZP) coating solution. The resultant PZP nanocomposite coatings have a high contact angle (>160°) and a low sliding angle (<7°). Meanwhile, it is found that the dirt particles accumulated on the surface can be easily washed off by rolling water droplets, demonstrating its superb self‐cleaning function. Notably, the PZP nanocomposite coating shows excellent antibacterial activity against Gram‐negative Escherichia coli. These ZIF‐8‐based nanocomposite coatings with superb self‐cleaning function and high antibacterial activity denote their great potential in a wider range of practical applications.