Antibacterial activity of hybrid chitosan-cupric oxide nanoparticles on cotton fabric

In this study, cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were prepared using sonochemical method. The prepared nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. The colloidal chitosan (CS) solution was prepared using ultrasound irradiation method and simultaneously mixed with CuO nanoparticles. The coatings of colloidal solution with and without CuO nanoparticles were studied through TEM images. The cotton fabrics were separately soaked in the prepared nanoparticle-containing (hybrid) solutions by sonication method followed by pad-dry-cure method. The structural, functional, and morphological analyses of the coated and uncoated fabrics were performed using XRD, FTIR-attenuated total reflectance, and SEM analyses, respectively. The hybrid-coated cotton fabrics showed better antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The bioactivity performance of the coated fabrics was in the order of CuO-coated fabric > CS-coated fabric.