Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, cilt.103, sa.4, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) coatings are widely used as transparent oxide layers in optoelectronic and protective coating applications. In this study, AZO thin films prepared with nominal 2 and 10 at.% Ag and Cu (relative to the total Zn + Al cation content in the precursor solution) were synthesized by a sol–gel method and applied on glass and silicon substrates using spin coating, followed by heat treatment at 500 °C. The films were characterized for structural, optical, and antibacterial properties. X-ray diffraction confirmed retention of the wurtzite ZnO-based structure without detectable secondary crystalline phases, while (002) peak parameters showed only minor dopant-dependent variations. SEM/EDS verified Ag and Cu incorporation and revealed locally Ag-rich surface regions at high Ag loading, consistent with localized agglomeration. Disc-diffusion tests against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli showed that undoped AZO and Cu-doped films produced weak or negligible inhibition (zone diameters ≤2.24 cm; disc diameter 2.00 cm). In contrast, 10 at.% Ag-doped AZO produced pronounced inhibition zones of 2.53 ± 0.04 cm for B. subtilis and 2.46 ± 0.02 cm for E. coli , indicating a marked antibacterial response in this screening assay. UV–Vis spectra were converted to absorption coefficient using profilometry-measured film thickness, and direct-allowed Tauc analysis yielded apparent optical band gaps of 3.54–3.62 eV. Because electrical properties and optical loss contributions (e.g., reflection/scattering) were not quantified, these values are treated as apparent gaps and used mainly for relative comparison of absorption-edge positions rather than to confirm a Burstein–Moss mechanism. Photoluminescence showed near-band-edge UV emission and a broad visible defect-related band, supporting the presence of defect states that may contribute to antibacterial behavior. Overall, Ag-doped AZO films combine enhanced antibacterial response with preserved transparency, supporting their potential as transparent antibacterial coatings.