Nanoengineered cotton wipes for antiviral protection and environmental compatibility

Authors: Nam, Sunghyun; Klamczynski, Artur; McCaffrey, Zachariah; Glenn, Gregory; Hinchliffe, Doug; Foulk, Jonn; KASHEM, NAYEEM HASAN - Oak Ridge National Laboratory; He, Zhongqi; Chang, Sechin; Li, Ping

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2025
Publication Date: 8/2/2025
Citation: Nam, S., Klamczynski, A.P., Mccaffrey, Z., Glenn, G.M., Hinchliffe, D.J., Foulk, J.A., Kashem, N., He, Z., Chang, S., Li, P. 2025. Nanoengineered cotton wipes for antiviral protection and environmental compatibility. Scientific Reports. 15. Article 28238. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13736-3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13736-3

Interpretive Summary: This study demonstrates the advancement of cotton’s utility through nanoengineering, resulting in virus-fighting cotton wipes with minimal toxicity and environmental impact. The antiviral functionality was built in to cotton fibers through in situ synthesis of Ag nanoparticles within the fiber matrix, using their natural reducing agents. The modified cotton fibers (20 wt%) were blended with pristine cotton fibers and fabricated into hydroentangled nonwoven wipes, yielding a final Ag concentration of 225 mg/kg. The Ag-engineered cotton wipes exhibited potent antiviral activity, achieving a 99.68% reduction in Feline calicivirus on contaminated surfaces while maintaining low cytotoxicity in tested cell lines. Environmental assessments indicated that Ag nanoengineering did not significantly alter the overall mineralization behavior of cotton wipes in compost and marine environments, both of which followed first-order decay kinetics. However, slight changes in kinetics parameters were observed in Ag-engineered cotton wipes, including lower mineralization rates, longer induction periods, and longer days of maximum mineralization rates compared to control cotton wipes. According to the estimated half-life, Ag-engineered cotton wipes are expected to fully mineralize within one month in compost and two months in marine environments. These findings suggest the potential of Ag-nanoengineered cotton wipes as a sustainable and functional alternative to synthetic fiber-based wipes. Their ability to combine antiviral efficacy with environmental compatibility establishes them as a promising innovation for hygiene products, supporting both public health and advancements in the cotton industry.

Technical Abstract: Nanotechnology-based modifications enable the development of high-performance materials, expanding their applications beyond conventional uses. This study presents the production of sustainable antiviral cotton wipes through the nanoengineering of cotton fibers and investigates their mineralization behavior in compost and marine environments. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles, averaging 22 nm in diameter, were synthesized in situ using the inherent reducing agents present in raw cotton fiber and embedded within the fiber matrix. The modified cotton fibers were incorporated into a hydroentanglement nonwoven fabrication at 20 wt%, yielding cotton wipes containing 225 mg/kg of Ag nanoparticles. The Ag-nanoengineered cotton wipes demonstrated a 99.68% reduction in virus titer against Feline calicivirus in a surface time-kill test of ready-to-use, pre-saturated wipes. Mineralization analyses indicated that both control and Ag-engineered cotton wipes followed first-order decay kinetics in compost and marine environments, with no significant difference in overall mineralization behavior. Ag-nanoengineered cotton wipes exhibited slightly decreased mineralization rates, extended induction periods, and delayed maximum mineralization rates compared to control cotton wipes. Nanoengineering increased the half-life of cotton wipes by 19% in compost and 8% in marine conditions, suggesting complete mineralization within one month in compost and two months in the marine environments.