Abstract

The anti-bacterial characteristics of different nano-structured metal and metal oxides modified cotton fabrics were investigated. In this study, silver metal, copper, zinc and magnesium oxides have been supported on bleached cotton fabrics. Reduction, wet method, sol gel and precipitation methods were used in the preparation of the antibacterial nanoparticles (NPs). The preparation of the antibacterial-loaded cotton was carried out in-situ and ex-situ by pad dry methods. Formation of the supported nanoparticles was confirmed using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy studies (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analyses. Antibacterial studies on the supported nanoparticles were done on gram positive (Bacillus and S. aureus) and gram negative (E-coli) bacteria by agar diffusion method. The loaded antibacterial nanoparticles are effective against the bacteria under investigation. Under the given experimental conditions, the maximum inactivation performances of each loaded inorganic agent were investigated. The loaded fabrics show the following antibacterial performance order against Bacillus subtilis is Ag=CuO>ZnO>MgO. However, the activity order is CuO>Ag>ZnO=MgO against S.aureus and E. coli. The inactivation performances depend on the type, purity and the amount of antibacterial nanoparticles on the textile surfaces.

Key words: inorganic antibacterial, antibacterial textile, metal and metal oxide nanoparticle.