New nano approach to self-sanitizing protective textiles

Authors: Nam, Sunghyun; Hillyer, Matthew; Condon, Brian

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/2/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Constant emergence of new pathogen, e.g., the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and its worldwide spread, has urged textile companies and textile research institutes to develop products that provide effective protection against bacteria and viruses. For example, silver nanotechnology, which takes advantage of its strong antimicrobial activity, is currently adopted in the production of face masks, whose wear is practiced on a daily basis as mandated by public health officials. However, most available technologies are based on surface coating, and thus the antibacterial properties imparted by silver nanotechnology diminishes after wetting/washing. Here, we present a new approach of the inclusion of silver nanoparticles within cotton fiber by using the natural fiber as a nanoreactor device. Without the aid of any reducing and stabilizing agents, cotton fiber self-synthesized silver nanoparticles. The reduction reaction and particle growth, which effortlessly occurred at room temperature, were analyzed, and the nanoparticle inclusion was imaged using an electron-microscope. The simulated laundering test up to 50 cycles demonstrated that the silver-nanoparticle-included cotton fiber recharges the antibacterial activity after every laundering.