Scalable and Environmentally Benign Process for Smart Textile Nanofinishing

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Traditional textile nanofinishing methods face challenges including high costs, energy consumption, waste generation, and multistep processes.
• Developing sustainable and efficient methods for applying nanoparticles (NPs) to textiles is crucial for creating advanced functional fabrics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a green, one-step aerosol-based process for textile nanofinishing using silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs).
• To evaluate the antimicrobial properties and durability of textiles treated with Ag NPs via aerosol deposition.
• To demonstrate the potential of this sustainable approach for various functional textile applications.

Main Methods:

• A one-step textile nanofinishing process utilizing the diffusional deposition of aerosol Ag NPs onto textile fibers.
• Assessment of antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
• Evaluation of silver (Ag) release and antimicrobial activity retention after three washing cycles.

Main Results:

• The aerosol deposition achieved high antimicrobial efficacy (logarithmic reduction of ca. 5.5) with significantly lower Ag NP loading (10 ppm) compared to traditional wet routes.
• Antimicrobial activity showed a saturation effect, with no significant increase above 10 ppm Ag loading.
• The treated textiles exhibited minimal Ag release (approx. 1 wt%) after washing and retained substantial antimicrobial activity.

Conclusions:

• The proposed aerosol NP deposition is a universal, sustainable, and cost-effective method for textile nanofinishing.
• This technique offers a greener alternative to traditional methods, minimizing environmental impact and health risks.
• The developed process enables the creation of highly effective antimicrobial textiles with potential for broad applications.