Inorganic Finishing for Textile Fabrics: Recent Advances in Wear-Resistant, UV Protection and Antimicrobial Treatments

Abstract

The surface modification of textile fabrics and therefore, the development of advanced textile materials featuring specific implemented and new properties, such as improved durability and resistance, is increasingly in demand from modern society and end-users. In this regard, the sol–gel technique has shown to be an innovative and convenient synthetic route for developing functional sol–gel coatings useful for the protection of textile materials. Compared with the conventional textile finishing process, this technique is characterized by several advantages, such as the environmentally friendly approaches based on one-step applications and low concentration of non-hazardous chemicals. The sol–gel method, starting from inorganic metal alkoxides or metal salts, leads to inorganic sols containing particles that enable a chemical or physical modification of fiber surfaces, giving rise to final multifunctional properties of treated textile fabrics. This review considered the recent developments in the synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles and nanosols by sol–gel approach for improving wear and UV resistance, as well as antibacterial or antimicrobial effects for textile applications.

Perspective Chapter: Functional Sol-Gel Based Coatings for Innovative and Sustainable Applications

“…For instance, the condensation between oligomers or polymers bearing metal alkoxides could be obtained either by starting from low molecular weight alkyl/aryl(alkoxysilanes) and by introducing an opportune additive (e.g. nanoparticles or other nanomaterials) into an already swollen organic matrix, or by impregnating inorganic gels with a polymeric solution, and by employing precursors of general formula R'-Si(OR) 3 , where R' is a polymerizable functional group (for example an epoxide or amino group) [19,20].…”

“…In recent years, the field of materials engineering has been active in the development of novel functional sol-gel based coatings to alter the characteristics of external surfaces [21]. This type of process, which leads to the formation of organic-inorganic hybrid coatings with a nanocomposite structure, is capable of modifying the surface properties such as abrasion resistance [22], wettability [23], as well as imparting antibacterial characteristics [24], resistance to UV radiation [20] and solvents in general and to release bioactive substances [25]. The sol-gel method is frequently used because of its versatility in the synthesis of inorganic-organic hybrid materials with a wide variety of mechanical, chemical, and morphological characteristics (Figure 2).…”

Sustainable Secondary-Raw Materials, Natural Substances and Eco-Friendly Nanomaterial-Based Approaches for Improved Surface Performances: An Overview of What They Are and How They Work

“…In this regard, a variety of synthetic pathways may be performed to produce innovative materials with opportunely tunable high molecular homogeneity and superior physical and chemical properties [ 30 ]. Sol–gel technology has been successfully applied to obtain different functional properties [ 7 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. In particular, this procedure aims to prepare a colloidal solution (sol) in which the monomers are forced to interact with each other through subsequent hydrolysis and condensation reaction steps.…”

Super-Hydrophobicity of Polyester Fabrics Driven by Functional Sustainable Fluorine-Free Silane-Based Coatings

“…One commonly explored strategy for producing superhydrophobic textiles is first to increase surface roughness by functionalizing the surface with proper inorganic precursors and nanoparticles via the sol-gel technique and then to reduce surface energy by attaching a hydrophobic groups [23]. Furthermore, the use of modified sols with suitable hydrophobic substituents may result in superhydrophobic and water-repellent films obtained in a single step [24][25][26][27][28].…”