Nanoengineered cotton wipes for antiviral protection and environmental compatibility

Nanotechnology-based modifications enable the development of high-performance materials, expanding their applications beyond conventional uses. This study presents the production of sustainable antiviral cotton wipes through the nanoengineering of cotton fibers and investigates their mineralization behavior in compost and marine environments. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles, averaging 22 nm in diameter, were synthesized in situ using the inherent reducing agents present in raw cotton fiber and embedded within the fiber matrix. The modified cotton fibers were incorporated into nonwoven wipes using a hydroentanglement process at 20 wt%, yielding cotton wipes containing 225 mg/kg of Ag nanoparticles. The Ag-nanoengineered cotton wipes demonstrated a 99.68% reduction in virus titer against Feline calicivirus in a surface time-kill test using ready-to-use, pre-saturated wipes. Mineralization analyses indicated that both control and Ag-engineered cotton wipes followed first-order decay kinetics in compost and marine environments, with no significant difference in overall mineralization behavior. Ag-nanoengineered cotton wipes exhibited slightly lower mineralization rates, extended induction periods, and delayed maximum mineralization rates compared to control cotton wipes. Nanoengineering increased the half-life of cotton wipes by 19% in compost and 8% in marine conditions, suggesting complete mineralization within one month in compost and two months in marine environments.