Bioactive and biodegradable cotton fabrics produced via synergic effect of plant extracts and essential oils in chitosan coating system

Abstract

Functional antibacterial textile materials are in great demand in the medical sector. In this paper, we propose a facile, eco-friendly approach to the design of antibacterial biodegradable cotton fabrics. Cotton fiber fabrics were enhanced with a chitosan coating loaded with plant extracts and essential oils. We employed Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–Vis spectrophotometry, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to characterize the color, structure, and thermal properties of the modified fabrics. The fabrics were found to effectively induce growth inhibition of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, especially when a synergic system of aloe vera extract and cinnamon essential oil was applied in the coating formulation. Additionally, we observed significant color and weight changes after 5, 10, and 20 days in soil biodegradability tests. Given the straightforward modification process and the use of non-toxic natural materials, these innovative bio-based and biodegradable cotton fabrics show great promise as protective antimicrobial textiles for healthcare applications.

Thin multifunctional coatings for textiles based on the layer-by-layer application of polyaromatic hybrid nanoparticles

“…The textile industry is actively pursuing the development of simple multifunctional coatings that are non-toxic antibacterial, stain-resistant, water-repellent, and UV-protective. 1,2 These functional textiles can be used in various applications, such as military textiles, 3 smart electronic textiles, 4 healthcare textiles, 5 and outdoor protective wear. 6 In recent studies, inorganic metals like palladium, 7 silver nanoparticles 8 and synthetic organic compounds such as fluorocarbon chemicals have demonstrated efficiency in enhancing antibacterial properties, UV shielding, and water repellency.…”

“…The textile industry is actively pursuing the development of simple multifunctional coatings that are non-toxic antibacterial, stain-resistant, water-repellent, and UV-protective. 1,2 These functional textiles can be used in various applications, such as military textiles, 3 smart electronic textiles, 4 healthcare textiles, 5 and outdoor protective wear. 6…”