Interior vs. exterior incorporation of silver nanoparticles in cotton fiber and washing durability

Authors: Nam, Sunghyun; CHAVEZ, SONIA - University Of Connecticut; Hillyer, Matthew; Condon, Brian; SHEN, HONGQING - Cotton, Inc; SUN, LUYI - University Of Connecticut

Submitted to: AATCC The Association of Textile, Apparel and Materials Professional
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2021
Publication Date: 11/14/2021
Citation: Nam, S., Chavez, S.E., Hillyer, M.B., Condon, B.D., Shen, H., Sun, L. 2021. Interior vs. exterior incorporation of silver nanoparticles in cotton fiber and washing durability. AATCC The Association of Textile, Apparel and Materials Professional. 8(6):1-12.

Interpretive Summary: The popular use of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in commercial textile products that inhibit odor- and/or infection-causing bacteria has continuously raised concerns about their washing durability. The poor durability not only deteriorates the antibacterial performance but also results in unwanted leaching of NPs into washing solutions. This study shows that the incorporation location of Ag NPs with respect to cotton fiber plays an important role in controlling the release of Ag in washing solutions. Two incorporations, locating the NPs in the interior and exterior of cotton fiber, were carried out. The washing tests up to 50 cycles indicate that the internal incorporation of Ag NPs within fibers is a prominent method for producing NP-leach resistant and thus washing durable antibacterial textile products.

Technical Abstract: This study demonstrates how the incorporation location of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)—interior vs. exterior of cotton fiber—governs their durability against consecutive simulated launderings. The interior NPs (11.6 nm in average diameter, 215 mg/kg based on the dry weight of cotton) were produced by the in situ synthesis within cotton fiber, and the exterior NPs (14.1 nm, 41 mg/kg) were produced by coating Ag NPs onto a cotton fabric. A combination of analyses of cotton fabrics and washing solutions agreed on the superior washing durability of interior NPs. The Ag losses after 50 laundering cycles for interior and exterior systems were 16% and 63% in water and 24% and 78% in the detergent solution, respectively. The cotton fabric containing interior NPs predominantly released ionic Ag, whereas the fabric containing exterior NPs released particulate Ag. The distinctive NP-leach resistance by the interior incorporation was attributed to the incarceration and immobilization of NPs within cotton fiber.