New Method for Production of Stable Antibacterial Fabrics without Color Change | WPN World People News

Antibacterial fabrics are usually produced by using silver nanoparticles. This method changes the color of the fabrics by creating brownish yellow shade in their structure. The aim of the research was to produce fabrics with high and stable antibacterial properties without changing the color. Zinc oxide/silicon dioxide nanocomposite was used in the structure of the fabric coating to obtain the goal.

In this research, cotton fabrics were produced with antibacterial properties by synthesizing and loading of zinc oxide/silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanocomposite on it. In this research, nanoparticles were synthesized through in-situ process by using two different methods on the structure of cotton fabrics. In one of the methods, zinc oxide nanoparticles were firstly synthesized in silicon dioxide solution, and the solution was next coated on the cotton fabrics. In the second method, the cotton fabrics were firstly coated with silicon dioxide and then zinc oxide nanoparticles were coated on its structure.

Results obtained from investigating cotton fabrics coated through the both methods confirmed that no bacteria have grown on the fabrics. However, the fabrics produced through the first method (synthesis of nanoparticles and coating of the fabric) showed larger diameter of the bacteria-free area due to the spherical shape and stability of the nanoparticles. Thermal tests also showed that the samples produced through the first method contain the maximum amount of zinc oxide while they have the lowest primary degradation temperature.

Source: Nanotechnology Now