Electroless silver plating on fabrics for antimicrobial coating: comparison between cotton and polyester.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Increased demand for antimicrobial textiles post-COVID-19 pandemic.
• Need for rapid, cost-effective, and scalable methods for textile functionalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a convenient, room-temperature method for applying antimicrobial silver coatings on textiles.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility of silver-coated cotton and polyester.

Main Methods:

• Electroless silver plating at room temperature on cotton and polyester fabrics.
• Characterization using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
• Biocompatibility testing with L929 fibroblasts and HaCaT cells.
• Antibacterial testing against Escherichia coli.
• Antiviral testing with SARS-CoV-2 and Feline Calicivirus (a norovirus surrogate).

Main Results:

• Successful application of silver coatings on cotton and polyester without nanoparticle formation.
• Increased surface roughness and hydrophobicity observed on Ag-coated textiles.
• Approximately 80% biocompatibility with tested cell lines.
• Strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli.
• Rapid viral reduction: 100% for SARS-CoV-2 on cotton (30 min) and polyester (1 h); >60% for Feline Calicivirus in 5 min, 100% in 1 h for both.

Conclusions:

• A fast, efficient, and low-cost method for producing antimicrobial textiles via silver plating.
• Silver-coated textiles demonstrate broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and good biocompatibility.
• Potential for widespread use in medical and healthcare settings.