Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Antibacterial Effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance
Published on: September 27, 2024
Chitosan and chitosan-ZnO-based complex nanoparticles: formation, characterization, and antibacterial activity
Ilana Perelshtein1, Elena Ruderman, Nina Perkas
1Department of Chemistry, Kanbar Laboratory for Nanomaterials, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel. Aharon.Gedanken@biu.ac.il Ilana.Perelshtein@biu.ac.il rulena@gmail.com Nina.Perkas@biu.ac.il.
Ultrasound creates novel chitosan-Zn nanoparticles on cotton, enhancing antibacterial properties. This sonochemical method effectively deposits functional nanomaterials for improved textile applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Textile Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Chitosan (CS) possesses inherent antimicrobial properties.
- Developing functionalized textiles with enhanced antibacterial activity is crucial for various applications.
- Nanoparticle-based coatings offer improved efficacy and material integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and deposit nanostructured chitosan (CS) and chitosan-zinc (Zn-CS) complexes onto cotton fabrics.
- To investigate the morphology and composition of the deposited nanomaterials.
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the treated cotton textiles.
Main Methods:
- Sonochemical synthesis and deposition of CS and Zn-CS nanoparticles on cotton.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for morphological analysis.
- X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for chemical characterization.
- Antibacterial testing against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Main Results:
- Homogeneously dispersed nanoparticles (approx. 40 nm) of Zn-CS complex were successfully coated onto cotton fibers.
- XANES and FTIR confirmed the formation of a Zn-CS complex with a ZnO core bonded to chitosan.
- Zn-CS coated textiles exhibited more than a two-fold increase in antibacterial activity compared to CS-only treated fabrics.
Conclusions:
- Sonochemistry is an effective method for synthesizing and depositing organic nanoparticles without compromising their intrinsic properties.
- The developed Zn-CS nanoparticles significantly enhance the antibacterial performance of cotton textiles.
- This approach offers a promising route for creating functionalized antimicrobial fabrics.

