Plasma technology applied to textiles is a dry, environmentally‐ and worker‐friendly method to achieve surface alteration without modifying the bulk properties of different materials. In particular, atmospheric non‐thermal plasmas are suited because most textile materials are heat sensitive polymers and applicable in a continuous processes. In the last years plasma technology has become a very active, high growth research field, assuming a great importance among all available material surface modifications in textile industry. The main objective of this review is to provide a critical update on the current state of art relating plasma technologies applied to textile industry.

This work studies the surface characteristics, antimicrobial activity, and aging effect of plasma-pretreated polyamide 6,6 (PA66) fabrics coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), aiming to identify the optimum size of nanosilver exhibiting antibacterial properties suitable for the manufacture of hospital textiles. The release of bactericidal Ag(+) ions from a 10, 20, 40, 60, and 100 nm AgNPs-coated PA66 surface was a function of the particles' size, number, and aging. Plasma pretreatment promoted both ionic and covalent interactions between AgNPs and the formed oxygen species on the fibers, favoring the deposition of smaller-diameter AgNPs that consequently showed better immediate and durable antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Surprisingly, after 30 days of aging, a comparable bacterial growth inhibition was achieved for all of the fibers treated with AgNPs <100 nm in size. The Ag(+) in the coatings also favored the electrostatic stabilization of the plasma-induced functional groups on the PA66 surface, thereby retarding the aging process. At the same time, the size-related ratio (Ag(+)/Ag(0)) of the AgNPs between 40 and 60 nm allowed for the controlled release of Ag(+) rather than bulk silver. Overall, the results suggest that instead of reducing the size of the AgNPs, which is associated with higher toxicity, similar long-term effects can be achieved with larger NPs (40-60 nm), even in lower concentrations. Because the antimicrobial efficiency of AgNPs larger than 30 nm is mainly ruled by the release of Ag(+) over time and not by the size and number of the AgNPs, this parameter is crucial for the development of efficient antimicrobial coatings on plasma-treated surfaces and contributes to the safety and durability of clothing used in clinical settings.

Background/AimsExperimental and clinical studies have shown the direct toxic effects of cigarette smoke (CS) on the myocardium, independent of vascular effects. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well known.MethodsWistar rats were allocated to control (C) and cigarette smoke (CS) groups. CS rats were exposed to cigarette smoke for 2 months.ResultsAfter that morphometric, functional and biochemical parameters were measured. The echocardiographic study showed enlargement of the left atria, increase in the left ventricular systolic volume and reduced systolic function. Within the cardiac metabolism, exposure to CS decreased beta hydroxy acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenases and citrate synthases and increased lactate dehydrogenases. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) were expressed similarly in both groups. CS increased serum lipids and myocardial triacylglycerols (TGs). These data suggest that impairment in fatty acid oxidation and the accumulation of cardiac lipids characterize lipotoxicity. CS group exhibited increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defense. Finally, the myocyte cross-sectional area and active Caspase 3 were increased in the CS group.ConclusionThe cardiac remodeling that was observed in the CS exposure model may be explained by abnormalities in energy metabolism, including lipotoxicity and oxidative stress.

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The physico-chemical improvements occasioned by DBD plasma discharge in dyeing process of polyamide 6,6 (PA66) fibers were investigated. The SEM, fluorescence microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, surface energy, FTIR, XPS and pH of aqueous extracts confirm the high polar functionalization of PA66 fibers due to plasma incorporation of oxygen atoms from atmospheric air. DBD plasma-generated reactive species preferentially break the C N bonds, and not the aliphatic CC chain of PA66. Formation of low-molecular weight acidic molecules that act as dye "carrier" and creation of micro-channels onto PA66 surface seems to favor dye diffusion into the fiber cores. Plasma treatment allows high level of direct dye diffusion and fixation in PA66 fibers at lower temperatures and shorter dyeing times than traditional dyeing methods.

The effect on the deposition of three different size silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto a polyamide 6,6 (PA) fabric pre‐treated using air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma was investigated. The SEM, EDS, and XPS analysis confirm that the smaller is the diameter of AgNPs, the higher the amount of adsorbed NPs on the PA. The DBD treatment on PA induces a threefold increase in Ag adsorption. The result confirms a dual effect on the wettability of the plasma treated PA substrate. AgNPs slightly enhance hydrophobicity of the PA surface and, at the same time, protect it against the plasma aging effect.

J. Molina). IntroductionThe development of textiles with new properties and applications has received great attention during the last years; one of these properties is the electrical conductivity. One One of the drawbacks of the chemical synthesis of polypyrrole on fabrics is the poor adhesion between the fibers and the polypyrrole coating. This makes that their mechanical properties are not as good as it would be desired. The polymerization of pyrrole is quite independent of the substrate. Only the polarity of the surface may have an effect on the adhesion of the conducting polymer. The adhesion is worse with fibers without polar groups (polyethylene for example) [10]. A way to improve the durability of the coating is to increase the surface energy of the fibers. Plasma treatments have

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), chemically synthesized by citrate reduction, were for the first time immobilized onto chitosan-treated soybean knitted fabric via exhaustion method. AuNPs were successfully produced in the form of highly spherical, moderated polydisperse, stable structures. Their average size was estimated at ≈35 nm. Successful immobilization of chitosan and AuNPs were confirmed by alterations in the fabric’s spectrophotometric reflectance spectrum and by detection of nitrogen and gold, non-conjugated C=O stretching vibrations of carbonyl functional groups and residual N-acetyl groups characteristic bands by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. XPS analysis confirms the strong binding of AuNPs on the chitosan matrix. The fabrics’ thermal stability increased with the introduction of both chitosan and AuNPs. Coated fabrics revealed an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of +50, which established their effectiveness in ultraviolet (UV) radiation shielding. They were also found to resist up to 5 washing cycles with low loss of immobilized AuNPs. Compared with AuNPs or chitosan alone, the combined functionalized coating on soy fabrics demonstrated an improved antimicrobial effect by reducing Staphylococcus aureus adhesion (99.94%) and Escherichia coli (96.26%). Overall, the engineered fabrics were confirmed as multifunctional, displaying attractive optical properties, UV-light protection and important antimicrobial features, that increase their interest for potential biomedical applications.