In situ generation of Ag nanoparticles on polyester fabrics by photoreduction using TiO₂ nanoparticles

This study discusses the possibility of in situ generation of Ag nanoparticles on polyester fabric by photoreduction of Ag⁺ ions with deposited TiO₂ nanoparticles in the presence of amino acid alanine and methyl alcohol. The presence of TiO₂/Ag nanoparticles on the polyester fiber surface was confirmed by XRD, XPS, and SEM analyses. Such nanocomposite textile material provides excellent antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacterium E. coli, Gram-positive bacterium S. aureus, and fungus C. albicans. Maximum microbial reduction was preserved even after ten washing cycles. In spite of satisfactory laundering durability, the release of silver occurred during washing. The leaching of silver was also present when the fabrics were exposed to artificial sweat at pH 5.5 and pH 8.0 for 24 h. In addition to excellent antimicrobial properties, TiO₂/Ag nanoparticles imparted maximum UV protection to polyester fabrics.