Development of antimicrobial, UV blocked and photocatalytic self-cleanable cotton fibers decorated with silver nanoparticles using silver carbamate and plasma activation

In-situ preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into plasma-pretreated cotton substrates adds novel functional properties and expands their potential applications. Herein, we report a new approach toward the assembly of multifunctional coated technical textiles. AgNPs was in-situ prepared onto plasma-pretreated cotton fibers using the simple pad-dry-cure method to impart ultraviolet protection, brilliant colors, antimicrobial and photocatalytic self-cleaning properties. AgNPs was produced by thermal reduction of excess Ag⁺ from an aqueous solution of silver N-(2-ethylhexyl)carbamate on the fibrous cotton surface at 130 °C. The immobilization of the generated AgNPs onto the fibers was improved by plasma activation. Both morphology and elemental content of the treated fabrics were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and scanning electron microscopy (EDX-SEM). The morphology of the generated AgNPs was also investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The generated AgNPs exhibited a homogeneous distribution and high depositing density with a nanoparticle size between 35 and 80 nm. AgNPs incorporated onto cotton fibers endowed with brownish-yellow color for plasma-untreated fibers and brown for plasma-pretreated fibers. The colorfastness and color strength of the AgNPs-coated fabrics were explored. The colored cotton fibers demonstrated persistent antimicrobial performance to S. aureus, E. coli and C. albicans pathogens. AgNPs/cotton displayed excellent photocatalysis and self-cleaning properties to the photochemical decomposition of methylene blue.