Sustainable and cost-effective functionalization of textile surfaces with Ag-doped TiO$_2$/polysiloxane hybrid nanocomposite for UV protection, antibacterial and self-cleaning properties

Rashid, Mohammad Mamunur (author), Tomšič, Brigita (author), Simončič, Barbara (author), Jerman, Ivan (author), Štular, Danaja (author), Zorc, Matija (author)

In this work, TiO$_2$ was incorporated into the surface of cotton fabrics by an in situ sol–gel/hydrothermal approach. Dimethyloctadecyl [3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl] ammonium chloride (SiQAC) was added as a bio-barrier Si precursor to enhance the synergistic effect/binding of TiO$_2$ to the surface of cotton fabric. A small amount of silver nitrate (AgNO$_3$) was added to produce Ag-doped TiO$_2$-coated fabric during hydrothermal treatment. The treated cotton fabric samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) to determine the surface morphology, chemical composition, chemical bonding and crystal structure, respectively. These results confirmed the successful application of well-dispersed TiO$_2$, Ag and SiQAC on the surface of cotton fabric. The cotton fabric functionalized with TiO$_2$ + SiQAC + Ag nanocomposite exhibited superior antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, very good UV protection and excellent self-cleaning performance, which were maintained even after repeated washings. The wash resistance of the newly developed TiO$_2$-based hybrid nanocoating was attributed to the formation of the SiQAC polysiloxane matrix, which served as an anchoring site for the Ag-doped TiO$_2$ through the formation of Si–O–Ti bonds. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of TiO$_2$ in the coating was attributed to the formation of the Ag/AgCl/TiO$_2$ heterostructure, which is promising for the surface and interface engineering of TiO$_2$-modified fabric.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cotton fabrics, titanium dioxide, TiO$_2$, silver doping, Ag, antibacterial activity, UV protection, 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: 2022
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 595, art. 153521
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-139726
• UDC: 677
• ISSN on article: 0169-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.153521
• COBISS.SI-ID: 106675203
• Publication date in RUL: 06.09.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Applied surface science
• Shortened title: Appl. surf. sci.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0169-4332
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3283215

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: bombažna tkanina, titanov dioksid, TiO$_2$, dopiranje s srebrom, Ag, protibakterijska aktivnost, UV-zaščita, samočistilnost