Color-neutral, transparent, antimicrobial glass surface based on nanostructured Cu–Zn

We present the development of transparent, color-neutral, antimicrobial surfaces tailored for integration in touchscreen display applications. Co-sputtered copper-zinc Ultra-Thin Metal Film is deposited on Gorilla®Glass substrate and subsequently annealed to perform nanostructuring. Cu-Zn mixed material maintains high antimicrobial efficacy inherent of copper while the presence of the zinc acts in dampening the color of pure copper which offers a significantly improved color neutrality. The optimized nanostructured surface exhibits optical transmission exceeding 80% in the visible spectrum and a color difference ΔE under 3 in the CIE 1976 Lab* color space, satisfying stringent display industry standards for visual clarity and neutrality. Additionally, the nanostructured surface possesses electrical insulation to support capacitive touch functionality. Antimicrobial performance was validated through biological analysis on both as-deposited and thermally annealed samples, demonstrating high bactericidal efficacy that meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements. These findings place Cu-Zn based device as a scalable and effective solution for next-generation hygienic interactive display technologies thanks to the lithography-free fabrication process.