Color-Variable Photodynamic Antimicrobial Wool/Acrylic Blended Fabrics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Developing effective antimicrobial textiles is crucial for reducing infection transmission.
• Photodynamic therapy offers a promising approach for antimicrobial applications.
• Wool/acrylic blends provide a versatile platform for functionalizing textiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create color-variable, photodynamic antimicrobial textiles using rose bengal (RB)-loaded wool/acrylic (W/A) blends.
• To investigate the impact of traditional cationic dyes on the photodynamic and colorimetric properties of these W/A fabrics.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the developed materials against Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Methods:

• Wool fibers were loaded with the photosensitizer rose bengal (RB).
• Acrylic fibers were dyed with cationic yellow, blue, and red dyes.
• Colorimetric properties were assessed using CIELab evaluation.
• Photodynamic efficacy was determined through photooxidation and antibacterial studies against S. aureus under visible light.

Main Results:

• The addition of cationic dyes slightly decreased the photodynamic efficacy compared to RB-W/A alone.
• Dual-dyed fabrics still achieved a significant 99.3% inactivation of S. aureus.
• The photodynamic efficacy was influenced by the type and concentration of cationic dyes used.

Conclusions:

• Low-cost, color-variable RB-loaded W/A blended fabrics are feasible for self-disinfecting textile applications.
• These materials demonstrate potential for reducing pathogen transmission.
• The study highlights the balance between color variability and antimicrobial efficacy in functional textiles.