Antibacterial and UV protective properties of polyamide fabric impregnated with TiO2/Ag nanoparticles

Abstract

The possibility of in situ photoreduction of Ag+ ions using colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles deposited on the surface of polyamide fabric in the presence of amino acid alanine and methyl alcohol is discussed. The presence of TiO2/Ag nanoparticles on the polyamide fabric was confirmed by FESEM and ICP analyses. Antibacterial activity of the fabric was tested against Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. Fabricated TiO2/Ag nanoparticles on the surface of polyamide fabric provided maximum bacterial reduction and thus, excellent antibacterial activity. In spite of silver leaching from the fabric during washing, impregnated polyamide fabric preserved maximum reduction of Escherichia coli colonies. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus slightly decreased after ten washing cycles, but still antibacterial activity can be considered as satisfactory. In addition, the presence of TiO2/Ag nanoparticles ensured better UV protection efficiency which belongs to very good UV protection category. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 45020 i br. 172056]

Keywords

• TiO2/Ag nanoparticles
• polyamide
• photoreduction
• antibacterial activity
• UV protection