Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were loaded over non-thermal plasma (P1) and citric acid (P2)-functionalized cotton fabrics using a room temperature sonification process. The cotton samples were pretreated with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and citric acid to introduce some reactive moieties on the fabric to enhance the adhesion power of ZnO nanoparticles with an average particle size of 41 nm. The nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously on the surface of the P1 sample, which enhanced the antibacterial, UV protection and photocatalytic self-cleaning characteristics of ZnO-loaded fabric. The self-cleaning efficiency of P1 and P2 samples was measured to be about 77% and 63%, respectively. The inhibition zones of 5.5 mm and 5.4 mm were produced by sample P1 against E. coli and S. aureusbacteria, respectively, which were slightly higher than the inhibition zones produced by sample P2. The inhibition zone of the samples roughly decreased by 17% after performing 10 wash cycles. The unloaded cotton fabric had a UPF value of 70.02 units and blocking percentage of 70.92% and 76.54% for UVA and UVB radiations, respectively. The UVA-blocking capacity of samples P1 and P2 was 95.27% and 91.22, respectively. Similarly, the UVB blocking capacity was 94.11% and 92.65%, respectively. The pre-coating plasma treatment was found to be helpful in improving the UV-blocking ability of ZnO-loaded cotton fabric.
The impregnation of the fiber with a resin system, the polymeric matrix with the interface needs to be properly cured so that the dimensional stability of the matrix and the composite is ensured. A modified epoxy resin matrix was obtained with a reactive toughening agent and anhydride as a curing agent. The mechanical properties of the modified epoxy matrix and its fiber reinforced composites were investigated systematically. The polymeric matrix possessed many good properties, including high strength, high elongation at break, low viscosity, long pot life at room temperature, and good water resistance. The special attentions are given to the matrix due to its low out gassing, low water absorption and radiation resistance. In addition, the fiber-reinforced composites showed a high strength conversion ratio of the fiber and good fatigue resistance. The dynamic and static of the composite material were studied by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with EDX. The influences of processing technique such as curing and proper mixing on the mechanical and interfacial properties were determined. The results demonstrated that the modified epoxy resin matrix is very suitable for applications in products fabricated with fiber-reinforced composites.
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