a S c i T e c h n o l j o u r n a lResearch Article

Karcı et al., J Fashion Technol Textile Eng 2017, 5:1DOI: 10.4172/2329-9568.1000144 Journal of Fashion

Technology & Textile Engineering

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Technology and Medicine

Development of Antimicrobial and Water Repellent/Hydrophobic (easy-cleaning) Properties on Cotton Fabrics Using Nanocoating ProcessesYağmur Karcı1, Ömer Faruk Kazanbaş2, Rüya Yurttaş1, Ayşen Tulpar1, Alparslan Demirural1 and Tarık Baykara3*

AbstractRecently, there has been considerable interest in doing research and development on functional nano coated textiles and in creating innovative textile products. Studies have been continued for developing innovative high value-added textile products with antimicrobial, hydrophobic (water and stain repellent), hydrophilic “easy-cleaning” and UV resistant properties. The aim of this work is to impart antimicrobial and hydrophobic properties to raw cotton fabrics via functional nano coating processing techniques. Nano silver particles synthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO3) and sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7) are impregnated into raw cotton fabrics to develop antimicrobial properties. To investigate the antimicrobial activity of the treated cotton fabric, E. Coli bacteria tests have been performed. Coating the raw cotton fabric with methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3), and alcosols synthesized from these two compounds using sol gel techniques, produced hydrophobic surfaces. Contact angle measurements and easy-cleaning tests are performed on these surfaces.

Keywords

Cotton Fabrics; Textile; Nano coating; Fabric

IntroductionAntibacterial and water repellent (hydrophobic) coatings on

textile surfaces are being increasingly used as they are more healthy and comfortable clothes, garments and upholstery in daily life. Functional nano coating processes on textile surfaces using sol gel techniques have recently attracted a wide attention to develop innovative high value added products [1-3]. Various functions such as antibacterial, antifungal, hydrophobic, hydrophillic, UV durable, antistatic, self-cleaning and others are being investigated on textiles using nanosized and nanostructured surfaces [4-6]. A variety of different organic and inorganic substances are being used to achieve antimicrobial functionality on textiles. There has been an increasing demand for functional textiles with antimicrobial properties [7]. Recently, nanosilver application on functional textiles is one of the

*Corresponding author: Tarık Baykara, Doğuş University Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering Acıbadem, İstanbul, Turkey, Tel: +90 216 444 79 97 / 1230; E-mail: tbaykara@dogus.edu.tr

Received: February 17, 2017 Accepted: March 10, 2017 Published: March 14, 2017

most discussed and investigated methods. Textiles treated with nanosilver antibacterial coating constitute attractive properties such as improved resilience against microorganisms, better protection against colonization of odor-forming bacteria along with much better hygiene in clinical practices.

Hydrophobicity on surface can be achieved through coatings with contact angle of water and aqueous solutions much larger than 90°. A thin non-wetting layer on the near-surface a few nanometers thick, provides water-repelling functions. Super-hydrophobic nanocoated textile surfaces are characterized by larger contact angles i.e., exceeding 130° and such coating may provide water, oil and stain repelling properties along with other properties such as easy and self-cleaning [8,9].

Wettability of a surface can be described by the contact angle, as shown in Figure 1. This angle is defined as the angle between the droplet base line and the droplet tangent line. As depicted in Figure 1, the equilibrium of the three interfaces’ surface energies is given by the Young’s equation as follows:

Cos = sg – sl / lg

Where is the contact angle, sg, sl, and lg are the surface energies of the solid-gas, solid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces, respectively. Surfaces exhibiting water contact angle higher than 130° are classified as superhydrophobic.

In this study, antimicrobial and hydrophobic properties imparted to raw cotton fabrics via functional nanocoating processing techniques are investigated. Nanosilver particles synthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO3) and sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7) are impregnated into raw cotton fabrics to develop antimicrobial properties. To investigate the antimicrobial activity of the treated cotton fabric, E. Coli bacteria tests are performed. Coating the raw cotton fabric with methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3), and alcosols synthesized from these two compounds using sol gel techniques produce hydrophobic surfaces. Contact angle measurements, easy-cleaning and surface wettability (AATCC 22-2005 water repellency spray test method) tests are performed on these surfaces.

ExperimentalMaterials

100% cotton fabrics in raw condition are supplied by a local producer. Silver nitrate (AgNO3) and sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7)

Figure 1: Interfacial energies experienced by a water droplet resting on a textile surface.

Citation: Karcı Y, Kazanbaş OF, Yurttaş R, Tulpar A, Demirural A, et al. (2017) Development of Antimicrobial and Water Repellent/Hydrophobic (easy-cleaning) Properties on Cotton Fabrics Using Nanocoating Processes. J Fashion Technol Textile Eng 5:1.

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for antibacterial nanosilver synthesis are obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. The chemicals for water repellent hydrophobic coatings, methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) as reagent grades were also obtained from Sigma-Aldrich.

Synthesis and preparation of sols

Nanosilver particles synthesized by boiling silver nitrate (AgNO3) solutions with gradual additions of sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7) while stirred magnetically. Concentration of nanosilver colloidal suspension differs based on the deionized water additions, 20-100 ppm.

For hydrophobic, water repellent coating solutions, triethoxymethylsilane (20 ml), methyl alcohol (53 ml) and phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) (0.3 ml) were mixed and magnetically stirred in 8.5 ml de-ionized water. 8 ml NH3 added after 10 min and stirred for 5 h at 26˚C. The same procedure was applied for methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) solution.

Applications to fabrics

The cotton fabrics were dipped in nanosilver colloidal suspension

and left for 5 min. for full impregnation. Thereafter, the fabrics were heated to 80˚C and dried for 15 min. Fabric samples were then rinsed with deionized water and re-dried at 80˚C.

Solutions obtained using sol-gel method outlined above were applied onto the cotton fabrics for 100% impregnation at 80˚C for 15 min. thereafter heated to 130˚C for 1 h.

Antimicrobial activity test

To investigate the antimicrobial activity of the treated cotton fabric, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli bacteria tests are performed in Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, the Medical Microbiology Department. The results of the test indicates no bacterial growth on the nanosilver impregnated fabrics while intense bacterial growth was observed on the surface of the untreated witness fabric sample.

Contact angle measurement

Contact angle, measurements were conducted on the droplet profiles dropped on the tightly stretched fabric surfaces using optical microscopy technique (Figure 2). Identical size droplets of nescafe,

Figure 2: Droplets of tea solution on the stretched fabric surface

Droplet Contact Angle, o Contact Angle, o Difference,treated with treated with %

methyltriethoxysilane phenyltrimethoxysilane(CH3Si(OC2H5)3) (C6H5Si(OCH3)3)

Non-treated fabric 0, complete wetting 0, complete wetting 0Water 137 ± 4 123 ± 1 11.3Tea 150 ± 1 139 ± 9 8.5

Pomegranate 132 ± 4 129 ± 2 2.3Nescafe 134 ± 6 136 ± 2 -1.4

Table 1: Contact Angle Measurements.

a

b Figure 3: Droplet profiles for the measurements of the contact angles; (a) for methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) treated surfaces (water, pomegranate, cafe, tea); (b) for phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated surfaces (water, pomegranate, cafe, tea)

Citation: Karcı Y, Kazanbaş OF, Yurttaş R, Tulpar A, Demirural A, et al. (2017) Development of Antimicrobial and Water Repellent/Hydrophobic (easy-cleaning) Properties on Cotton Fabrics Using Nanocoating Processes. J Fashion Technol Textile Eng 5:1.

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tea, pomegranate solutions and water were carefully placed on the stretched fabric surface and the contact angles were measured on photomicrographs. The results of measurements are given in Table 1 and optical micrographs are shown in Figure 3.

Easy cleaning tests

Ease of cleaning on the treated and non-treated fabrics was conducted employing nescafe, tea and pomegranate solutions. 3

droplets of nescafe, tea and pomegranate solutions dropped on the fabrics’ surface from 50 cm height (Figures 4 and 5). Stained surfaces were then rubbed with dry cotton (x10 rubbing cycles each) (Figure 4). Thereafter water and alcohol impregnated cotton rubbing (x10 cycles) were repeated for completion of the cleaning cycles (Figure 5).

Water repellency spray test

To determine the surface wetting resistance of the treated fabrics, AATCC 22-2005 water repellency spray test method was used to evaluate the treated fabric repellency [10]. The silane impregnated and non-treated fabrics were stretched tight in an embroidery hoop, held at a 45° angle in the test apparatus and sprayed with 250 mL of water through a specified spray head from a height of 150 mm (Figure 6a. Based on the standard spray test rating chart, the rating for the impregnated fabrics was determined to be 100 (No sticking or wetting of upper surface), while the rate for the non-treated fabrics was 0 (Complete wetting of whole upper and lower surfaces) (Figures 6a-6c).

Results and DiscussionAntibacterial/Antimicrobial activity

It is very well known that silver ions have effective antimicrobial/abtibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus and Echerichia coli along with others (e.g., Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). In some cases (for example for Staphylococcus aureus) bacterial effect largely dominates over the effect of antibiotics in the intensity [11]. In this regard, clinical physicians have special interest in ionic silver. In this study, antibacterial/antimicrobial activity tests revealed that concentrated nanosilver application result in 99% decrease in Staphylococcus aureus and Echerichia coli colonies. It was also observed that there were no microorganizational reproductions in nanosilver impregnated fabrics.

Contact angle

Table 1 shows contact angle measurement on fabrics by water, tea, pomegranate and Nescafe droplets (Figure 3 for the profiles). The results indicate definite super hydrophobicity with varying angles of 120°-150°. Measured contact angles on the fabrics treated with methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) demonstrate larger contact angles (with the exception for Nescafe droplets) compared to the phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated fabrics. This may be due to increasing in the number of hydrophobic groups on the treated fabric.

As for the contact angle of water and other liquids is a direct indication of hydrophobicity of the fabric surface, critical surface tension should also be taken care of for the wetting behaviour of the surface. It is reported that the hydrophobic behavior is generally observed by surfaces with critical surface tensions less than 35 dynes/cm. For methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), the critical surface tension is reported as 22.5 dynes/cm, while for phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) the critical surface tension is 40.0 dynes/cm [12]. This may also explain the difference in the measurement of contact angles between methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), and phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated surfaces.

Water repellent

Results of water repellency test for methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), and phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated surfaces revealed that methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) treated surfaces has AATCC 100 which means “high repellency”; On

a b c

b ca

Figure 4: Upper after dropping 3 droplets of tea solutions; (below) After x10 cycles of cotton rubbing (dry) Untreated fabric; (b) Treated with phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) (c) Treated with methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3).

a b c

a b c

a b c

Figure 5: (upper) After dropping 3 droplets of cafe and pomegranate solutions; (middle) After x10 cycles of cotton rubbing (dry) (lower) After x10 cycles of cotton rubbing(water, alcohol) (a) Untreated fabric; (b) Treated with phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) (c) Treated with methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3).

a b c

Figure 6: AATCC 22-2010 Water Repellency SprayTest: (a) Spray on non-treated fabric (b) spray on treated fabric (c) treated fabric after the spray test.

Citation: Karcı Y, Kazanbaş OF, Yurttaş R, Tulpar A, Demirural A, et al. (2017) Development of Antimicrobial and Water Repellent/Hydrophobic (easy-cleaning) Properties on Cotton Fabrics Using Nanocoating Processes. J Fashion Technol Textile Eng 5:1.

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Volume 5 • Issue 1 • 1000144

the other hand, for phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated surfaces, AATCC grade is 90 which also means “good repellency”.

Easy cleaning

Ease of cleaning on the methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3), phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated and non-treated fabrics were conducted employing nescafe, tea and pomegranate solutions. The results which were shown in Figures 4 and 5 revealed that for the methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) treated fabrics much effective ease of cleaning is observed compared to phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated fabrics.

ConclusionBased on the antimicrobial/antibacterial activity test results on the

nanosilver impregnated fabrics, it was suggested by the physicians that such applications might be useful in the control of hospital infections and further studies were suggested for specific cases in clinical practices.

More effective hydrophobicity was achieved on the fabrics treated with the methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) compared to phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3) treated fabrics. Consequently, higher contact angles, higher repellency results and much more easier cleaning were also observed on the fabrics treated with the methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3). This may be due to increase in the number of hydrophobic groups on the treated fabric and difference in the critical surface tension values of methyltriethoxysilane (CH3Si(OC2H5)3) and phenyltrimethoxysilane (C6H5Si(OCH3)3).

Such treatments on the surfaces of textile fabrics may lead innovative products with much higher added values for the market. Possible applications are: Fabrics for furniture covers, household items such as curtains, carpets, table top covers etc.

Acknowledgement

Authors would like to thank to T.C. Kalkınma Bakanlığı and İSTKA-İstanbul Kalkınma Ajansı (Istanbul Development Agency) for their support through the Project TR 10/15/YNK/0056.

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Author Affiliations Top

1Doğuş University Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering Acıbadem, İstanbul, Turkey2Mechanical Engineer, Istanbul Development Agency, Doğuş University, İstanbul, Turkey3Technology Transfer Office Manager, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Doğuş University, İstanbul, Turkey

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