In-Situ Surface Modification of Terpinen-4-ol Plasma Polymers for Increased Antibacterial Activity

Surface modification of thin films is often performed to enhance their properties. In this work, in situ modification of Terpinen-4-ol (T4) plasma polymer is carried out via simultaneous surface functionalization and nanoparticle immobilization. Terpinen-4-ol plasma polymers surface were decorated with a layer of ZnO nanoparticles in an oxygen plasma environment immediately after polymer deposition. A combination of hydrophilic modification and ZnO nanoparticle functionalization of the T4 polymer surface led to an enhancement in antibacterial properties by factor of 3 (from 0.75 to 0.25 CFU.mm−2). In addition, ZnO nanoparticle-modified coatings demonstrated improved UV absorbing characteristics in the region of 300–400 nm by 60% relative to unmodified coatings. The ZnO modified coatings were transparent in the visible region of 400–700 nm. The finding points towards the potential use of ZnO nanoparticle-modified T4 plasma polymers as optically transparent UV absorbing coatings.