Tailoring of multifunctional cotton fabric by embedding a TiO$_2$+ZnO composite into a chitosan matrix

Tomšič, Brigita (author), Bajrič, Špela (author), Cergonja, Kaja (author), Čepič, Gracija (author), Gerl, Ana (author), Ladislav Varga, Egshig (author), Panoska, Marina (author), Peulić, Svjetlana (author), Skoko, Jasna (author), Gorjanc, Marija (author), Simončič, Barbara (author)

The use of nanomaterials to functionalise textiles offers new opportunities for chemical modification of textile fibres’ surfaces to achieve multifunctional protective properties. In this study, novel coatings were tailored on cotton fabric by embedding a mixture of TiO$_2$ and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) of different molar ratios into a chitosan polymer matrix. The excitation energies of the TiO$_2$+ZnO composites generated in the coatings ranged from 3.20 eV to 3.25 eV, indicating that the photocatalytic performance of the functionalised cotton was driven by UV light. The presence of TiO$_2$+ZnO composites increased the UV protection factor (UPF) of the cotton fabric from 4.2 for the untreated sample to 15–21 for the functionalised samples. The UPF values of the coatings slightly decreased after repeated washing. The ZnO in the TiO$_2$+ZnO composites conferred biocidal activity to the coatings, which were resistant to washing at higher ZnO concentrations. In addition, the TiO$_2$in the TiO$_2$+ZnO composites was responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic self-cleaning of the functionalised cotton, which was observed during the initial period of illumination at lower ZnO concentrations in the composite. The main advantage of these TiO$_2$+ZnO composite coatings is their multifunctionality, which cannot be provided by single-component TiO$_2$ or ZnO coatings. Moreover, these coatings have wide-ranging practical applications, as they were composed of commercially available nanomaterials and were applied using conventional pad–dry–cure equipment.

• Language: English
• Keywords: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, chitosan, coating, cotton, UV protection, antimicrobial activity, photocatalytic self-cleaning
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: Str. 134-147
• Numbering: Vol. 66, no. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164733
• UDC: 677
• ISSN on article: 0351-3386
• DOI: 10.14502/tekstilec.66.2023049
• COBISS.SI-ID: 160303619
• Publication date in RUL: 08.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Tekstilec : glasilo slovenskih tekstilcev
• Shortened title: Tekstilec
• Publisher: Zveza inženirjev in tehnikov tekstilcev, Splošno združenje tekstilne industrije, Zveza inženirjev in tehnikov tekstilcev, Splošno združenje tekstilne industrije, Društvo inženirjev in tehnikov tekstilcev, Univerza v Ljubljani, Naravoslovnotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za tekstilstvo, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0351-3386
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763396

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Oblikovanje večfunkcionalne bombažne tkanine z vgraditvijo kompozita TiO$_2$+ZnO v matrico hitozana

Abstract

Uporaba nanomaterialov za funkcionalizacijo tekstilij ponuja nove možnosti kemijske modifikacije površine tekstilnih vlaken za dosego multifunkcionalnih zaščitnih lastnosti. V raziskavi je bila na bombažni tkanini oblikovana nova prevleka z vgraditvijo mešanice nanodelcev (ND) TiO$_2$ in ZnO različnih molarnih razmerij v matrico hitozana. Energije za vzbujanje oblikovanih kompozitov TiO$_2$+ZnO v prevleki so bile med 3,20 eV in 3,25 eV, kar pomeni, da je za fotokatalitsko delovanje funkcionaliziranega bombaža potrebna UV-svetloba. Prisotnost kompozita TiO$_2$+ZnO je povečala UV zaščitni faktor (UZF) s 4,2 za neapretiran bombaž na 15–21 za funkcionalizirane vzorce. Vrednosti UZF-prevlek so se po večkratnem pranju nekoliko zmanjšale. ZnO je kompozitu TiO$_2$+ZnO zagotovil biocidno aktivnost, ki je bila pri višjih koncentracijah ZnO pri pranju obstojna. TiO$_2$ je kompozitu TiO$_2$+ZnO zagotovil izboljšano fotokatalitsko samočistilnost funkcionaliziranega bombaža, ki je bila opazna pri začetnih časih osvetljevanja in pri nižjih koncentracijah ZnO v kompozitu. Glavna prednost kompozitnih prevlek TiO$_2$+ZnO je njihova večfunkcionalnost, ki je z enokomponentnimi prevlekami TiO$_2$ ali ZnO ni bilo mogoče doseči. Prevleke imajo široko praktično uporabo, saj vključujejo komercialno dosegljive nanomateriale in so nanesene s konvencionalno opremo za impregniranje, sušenje in kondenziranje.

• Keywords: titanov dioksid, cinkov oksid, hitozan, prevleka, bombaž, UV-zaščita, protimikrobna aktivnost, fotokatalitska samočistilnost

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0213
• Name: Tekstilije in ekologija

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: I0-0022
• Name: Mreža raziskovalnih infrastrukturnih centrov Univerze v Ljubljani (MRIC UL)