Smart Textiles Coated with Eco-Friendly UV-Blocking Nanoparticles Derived from Natural Resources

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing smart textiles with enhanced UV-shielding properties is crucial for protective clothing.
• Iron titanate nanoparticles (FT) offer potential for UV absorption due to their material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop eco-friendly smart textiles with superior UV-shielding capabilities using iron titanate nanoparticles (FT) coated on cotton fabrics (CF).
• To investigate the effectiveness of FT nanoparticles dispersed in a polyurethane (PU) matrix and their application in sandwich architectures for UV protection.

Main Methods:

• Eco-friendly iron titanate nanoparticles (FT) were synthesized from natural resources and characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-vis, VSM, and TGA.
• FT nanoparticles were surface-functionalized, dispersed in a PU matrix, and coated onto cotton fabrics (CF).
• Sandwich architectures were created by stacking CF coated with PU and FT nanoparticles, and their UV-shielding properties were evaluated.

Main Results:

• Cotton fabrics coated with FT nanoparticles exhibited significantly enhanced UV-shielding compared to those coated only with PU.
• The sandwich architecture incorporating FT nanoparticles and PU achieved an ultraviolet-protecting factor (UPF) value greater than 50.
• The FT-coated textiles demonstrated UV absorption as the primary mechanism for protection.

Conclusions:

• The developed smart textile using FT nanoparticles and PU in a sandwich structure shows excellent potential for high-performance UV protection.
• This approach offers an eco-friendly and effective method for creating advanced textiles with enhanced UV-shielding properties.