Antibacterial Activity of Copper Particles Embedded in Knitted Fabrics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Textile materials are increasingly explored for functional applications.
• Antibacterial properties are crucial for hygiene-sensitive applications like masks.
• Copper nanoparticles offer potential antimicrobial benefits due to their unique properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize copper particles using a simple reduction method.
• To characterize the composition and structure of copper particles on knitted fabrics.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of copper-modified wool and cotton fabrics.

Main Methods:

• Copper particles synthesized via reduction of copper(II) sulfate with ascorbic acid.
• Characterization using X-ray diffraction, element mapping, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.
• Antibacterial activity assessed against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using zone of inhibition assays.

Main Results:

• Synthesized particles were crystalline, primarily copper with trace copper(I) oxide.
• High copper content confirmed on wool and cotton knitted fabrics.
• Significant antibacterial activity observed against both gram-positive (S. aureus) and gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria, with maximum inhibition zones up to 19.3 mm.

Conclusions:

• Simple synthesis method yields effective copper particles for fabric modification.
• Modified wool and cotton fabrics demonstrate excellent, long-term antibacterial activity.
• These copper-modified textiles are suitable for use in reusable masks and other antimicrobial applications.