In Situ Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles on Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma-Treated Polyester Fabrics at Different Reaction pHs

Abstract

Polyester (PET) fabrics are widely applied in functional textiles due to their outstanding properties such as high strength, dimensional stability, high melting point, low cost, recyclability, and flexibility. Nevertheless, the lack of polar groups in the PET structure makes its coloration and functionalization difficult. The present work reports the one-step in situ synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) onto the PET fabric employing sodium hypophosphate and ascorbic acid as reducing and stabilizing agents, at acidic (pH 2) and alkaline pH (pH 11). This synthesis (i) used safer reagents when compared with traditional chemicals for CuNP production, (ii) was performed at a moderate temperature (85 °C), and (iii) used no protective inert gas. The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma was used as an environmentally friendly method for the surface functionalization of PET to enhance the adhesion of CuNPs. The size of the CuNPs in an alkaline reaction (76–156 nm for not treated and 93.4–123 nm for DBD plasma-treated samples) was found to be smaller than their size in acidic media (118–310 nm for not treated and 249–500 nm for DBD plasma-treated samples), where the DBD plasma treatment promoted some agglomeration. In acidic medium, metallic copper was obtained, and a reddish color became noticeable in the textile. In alkaline medium, copper­(I) oxide (Cu2O) was detected, and the PET samples exhibited a yellow color. The PET samples with CuNPs presented improved ultraviolet protection factor values. Finally, a minimal concentration of copper salt was studied to obtain the optimized antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The functionalized samples showed strong antibacterial efficacy using low-concentration solutions in the in situ synthesis (2.0 mM of copper salt) and even after five washing cycles. The DBD plasma treatment improved the antibacterial action of the samples prepared in the alkaline medium.

Fabricating Antibacterial Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrates Through an Industrial Approach by Applying Emulsions of Copper-Based Nanoparticles

“…In a very recent attempt, Mehravani et al applied copper-based nanoparticles on PET fabrics through an in-situ synthesis method and observed proper antibacterial activities against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. The PET fabrics were firstly activated by dielectric barrier discharge plasma [ 46 ]. Marković et al modified PET fabrics by in-situ syntheses of copper-based nanoparticles on PET substrates and reported their excellent antibacterial properties against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria.…”

“…Moreover, a variety of substrates such as cotton [ 40 ], silk [ 41 ], wool [ 42 ], nylon [ 43 ], and aramid [ 7 ] fabrics are used in the textile industry. Among them, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is extremely considered worldwide for diverse applications from textile garments to filtration industries [ 44 , 45 ] because of its outstanding features such as high strength, high melting point, dimensional stability, affordability, recyclability, and flexibility [ 46 ]. Nonetheless, its low dye-ability/clinging and low hydrophilicity because of few functional groups in its polymeric backbone are well-known issues restricting its modifications and usages [ 47 ].…”

Enhancing Functionalization of Health Care Textiles with Gold Nanoparticle-Loaded Hydroxyapatite Composites

“…In this application, it was not used as a reactive gas. The textile sample passed between two metallic electrodes, at a power of around 1 kW and a speed of 4 m/min [31,32].…”

Investigating the impact of inbuilt cold atmospheric pressure plasma on molecular assemblies of tryptophan enantiomers: in vitro fabrication of self-assembled supramolecular structures

“…[18][19][20][21] CAPP generates controllable amounts of ROS and RNS that are transported to react with biological targets including cells and tissues for cancer treatment, 22 sterilization of wound tissue, 23,24 corneal infections treatment, 25 instantaneous blood coagulation, 26 leishmaniosis, 27 treatment of dental diseases 28 and protein modications. 29,30 Other application areas CAPPs include material etching, 31 depositions, 32 surface modication, 33 degradation of pollutants, 34,35 decontamination of microorganisms in water, 36,37 synthesis of nanomaterials, 38,39 etc., however, its usability in the formation of new materials in aqueous systems still needs more exploration.…”