Effect of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the improved method on the antibacterial properties of cotton textile materials

Abstract

The object of this study is imparting antimicrobial properties to textile materials made from natural fibers and their blends. The study is aimed at solving the problem of ensuring a prolonged antimicrobial effect of cotton-containing fabrics. The use of ZnO nanoparticles, synthesized by the simple resource-saving method, as part of polymer-colloidal finishing compositions for the fabrics finishing is proposed. The effectiveness of using synthesized ZnO to impart prolonged antibacterial properties to cotton fabrics was assessed by studying the morphology, chemical composition, and bactericidal activity of nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by direct precipitation method at low temperatures in a short time in an aqueous solution using zinc acetate dihydrate and sodium hydroxide as precursors. The average crystallite size calculated using the Scherrer method is 28 nm. The degree of crystallinity according to X-ray diffraction pattern is 93 %. Using scanning electron microscopy, the formation of nanoparticles of uniform size in the form of short rods was established and the successfully synthesized ZnO phase in the hexagonal wurtzite structure was confirmed. The chemical purity of the crystalline material was confirmed using energy dispersive analysis. The atomic percentages of the elements are 47.6 % and 52.4 % for Zn and O, respectively. Study of the inhibition zone around fabric disks treated with ZnO showed their high bactericidal activity against air microflora and the gram-negative bacterium P. aeruginosa. It has been established that the use of ZnO as part of a polymer-colloidal system based on the acrylic polymer ensures the resistance of bactericidal treatment to washing. The reported scientific results are of practical importance for improving the standard technological process for finishing cotton textile materials