Development of antibacterial fabrics by treatment with Ag-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

This paper deals with the antibacterial properties of nonwoven Co/PET and PP fabrics and woven cotton fabrics treated with the pad-dry-cure (PDC) and electrospray processes. Firstly, the surface modification of nonwoven Co/PET and PP fabrics was carried out to obtain their hydrophilicity by RF-plasma system using acrylic acid as the monomer. Subsequently, Ag-doped TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by sol–gel and chemical reduction processes using titanium isopropoxide and silver nitrate as precursor were applied to the fabric samples by PDC and electrospray processes. The effect of different synthesis processes of the nanoparticles and various application processes on their antibacterial efficiency was investigated. After RF-plasma pretreatment, the absorbency properties of the fabric samples were measured. The antibacterial activity of fabric samples against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was determined qualitatively and quantitatively according to AATCC Method 147 and AATCC Method 100, respectively. The microstructural characteristics and surface morphology of the fabric samples were investigated by SEM-EDX and FTIR-ATR analyses. These results suggest that Ag-doped TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized by the chemical reduction process imparted good and durable antibacterial activity to nonwoven Co/PET and PP fabrics and woven cotton fabrics for use in wall textiles.