Highly efficient and durable antimicrobial nanocomposite textiles

Abstract

Healthcare associated infections cause millions of hospitalizations and cost billions of dollars every year. A potential solution to address this problem is to develop antimicrobial textile for healthcare fabrics (hospital bedding, gowns, lab coats, etc.). Metal nanoparticle-coated textile has been proven to possess antimicrobial properties but have not been adopted by healthcare facilities due to risks of leaching and subsequent loss of function, toxicity, and environmental pollution. This work presents the development and testing of antimicrobial zinc nanocomposite textiles, fabricated using a novel Crescoating process. In this process, zinc nanoparticles are grown in situ within the bulk of different natural and synthetic fabrics to form safe and durable nanocomposites. The zinc nanocomposite textiles show unprecedented microbial reduction of 99.99% (4 log10) to 99.9999% (6 log10) within 24 h on the most common Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and fungal pathogens. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity remains intact even after 100 laundry cycles, demonstrating the high longevity and durability of the textile. Independent dermatological evaluation confirmed that the novel textile is non-irritating and hypoallergenic.

Advancing Antimicrobial Textiles: A Comprehensive Study on Combating ESKAPE Pathogens and Ensuring User Safety

“…Consistent with the existing literature [54][55][56][57][58], our research findings highlight the outstanding antimicrobial activity of silver nitrate, zinc chloride, and tea tree oil, showing remarkable efficacy against all three bacterial strains. The observed percentages of antimicrobial activity are comparable to or higher than those reported in the literature for antimicrobial textiles targeting Gram-negative E. coli and K. pneumonia, as well as Gram-positive MRSA [51,[59][60][61][62][63][64][65]. However, it is important to note…”

“…To address the growing challenges posed by microbial infections, multidrug-resistant bacteria, and the emergence of new viruses, the adoption of appropriate antibacterial textiles and protective garments has become crucial in hospitals and public settings [51][52][53]. Personal protective equipment (PPE) enhanced with antimicrobial agents has shown potential in safeguarding against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms.…”

Therapeutic textiles: A promising approach for human skin dysbiosis?

“…In this sense, a range of therapeutic textiles, namely those with antimicrobial activity, have been developed. [31][32][33][34][35][36] However, most of them are still limited to in vitro evaluation, and only a small portion effectively translated to clinical trials. But when translated to clinical studies, the macroscopic evaluation has received special consideration, while the microscopic effects have been poorly investigated.…”

“…In this sense, a range of therapeutic textiles, namely those with antimicrobial activity, have been developed 31–36 . However, most of them are still limited to in vitro evaluation, and only a small portion effectively translated to clinical trials.…”

Green Method for the Preparation of Durable Superhydrophobic Antimicrobial Polyester Fabrics with Micro-Pleated Structures

“…Porous textiles, which are susceptible to absorbing metabolic substances excreted by the human body, such as sweat and sebum, establish an environment conducive to the proliferation of bacteria and microorganisms. The presence of these microorganisms can result in issues such as clothing mold, disease transmission, and wound infections [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Notably, antimicrobial textiles have gained considerable attention in the context of human health protection and healthcare, due to their pivotal role in inhibiting the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi [ 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”