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Light-Driven Antimicrobial Cotton Fabric: Multilayer Dye-Finishing Design and Hospital Environment Validation
Inés Martínez-González1, Jaime Gisbert-Payá1, M Luisa Marin2
1Departamento de Ingeniería Textil y Papelera. Escuela Politécnica Superior de Alcoy, Universitat Politècnica de València, Plaza Ferrándiz y Carbonell s/n, 03801Alcoy, Alicante, Spain.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|August 10, 2026
Summary
This study developed a new antimicrobial fabric using methylene blue and Rose Bengal dyes. The durable, self-disinfecting fabric effectively eliminates bacteria and fungi under white light, showing promise for healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Textile Engineering
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Cellulose-dye incompatibility hinders the development of functional textiles.
- Developing effective antimicrobial materials is crucial for healthcare settings.
- Photosensitizing dyes offer potential for antimicrobial applications but require stable immobilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a stable, co-immobilized dual-dye system on cotton fabric for enhanced antimicrobial activity.
- To overcome cellulose-dye incompatibility using chitosan interlayers and cyanoguanidine fixation.
- To evaluate the broadband antimicrobial efficacy and durability of the multifunctional fabric under visible light.
Main Methods:
- Sequential ionic multilayer finishing strategy for dye co-immobilization.
- Utilized chitosan interlayers and cyanoguanidine fixation to address cellulose-dye incompatibility.
- Assessed antimicrobial activity against E. coli, E. faecalis, C. albicans, and rAd5 under white light.
- Evaluated durability through repeated washing and conducted pilot hospital validation.
Main Results:
- Stable co-immobilization of methylene blue (MB) and Rose Bengal (RB) achieved on cotton fabric.
- Broadened visible-light absorption and maintained independent photosensitizing activity of both dyes.
- Rapid and broadband antimicrobial action: complete inactivation of E. coli (60 min), E. faecalis (20 min), C. albicans (3 h), and rAd5 (60 min).
- Durable antimicrobial performance exceeding benchmarks after washing; 75% microbial load reduction in pilot hospital validation.
Conclusions:
- The developed multifunctional fabric offers durable, resistance-free, self-disinfecting properties.
- The dual-dye architecture provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial action under ambient white light.
- This strategy presents a promising approach to reduce microbial persistence in clinical environments.