In Vitro Assessment of Sericin-Silver Functionalized Silk Fabrics for Enhanced UV Protection and Antibacterial Properties Using Experimental Design

Abstract

Silk sericin (SS) was used as both a 3-dimensional matrix and reductant for the in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) finished on silk fabrics. We demonstrated enhanced UV protection and antibacterial properties using this synthesis which was an environmental friendly approach. Development and optimization was achieved using a central composite design (CCD) in conjunction with the response surface methodology (RSM). The goal was to identify the concentrations of SS and AgNO 3 that produced the optimal balance between UV protection and antibacterial activity, when tested against E. coli and S. aureus. The SS-AgNP bio-nanocomposites were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Statistical analyses indicated an empirical second-order polynomial could accurately model the experimental values. To confirm that the optimal levels from RSM worked in practice, performance evaluations were conducted, including tests of cytotoxicity, of the durability and stability of UV protection, as well as of the antibacterial activity of the functionalized fabrics after repeated standard washing. The results suggest that these bio-nanocomposites have great potential for multi-functionalization on silk fabrics. Our method has been shown to convert the waste material (SS) to a fabric with high added value.

Synthesis of sericin‐conjugated silver nanoparticles and their potential antimicrobial activity

“…Furthermore, the peaks ranging from 500 to 800 cm −1 suggested the presence of silver linkage with N atoms as detailed by other scientists. Many other scientists around the globe also described the same FTIR peaks, as in the present study, but some also reported slightly variable results [60–63]. The reason behind this deviation is not clear yet, and a further deep investigation is necessary.…”

Facile and Eco-Friendly Fabrication of Colored and Bioactive Silk Materials Using Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Two Flavonoids

“…However, most of the conventional syntheses require the use of hazardous chemicals and generate toxic organic byproducts. At present, a large number of exhaustive studies have focused on the biological synthesis of AgNPs using natural substances such as bacteria, fungi, proteins, polysaccharides, and plant extracts [5,13,14,15,16]. Considering the safety of biological synthesis process, the approaches involving plant extracts could generate much less contamination and have minimal impact on the environment.…”

“…Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which are famous for broad-spectrum and high-efficient antibacterial effects due to their unique properties (e.g., nano-scale size, various shapes, and large surface area), have been widely used in many fields such as electronics, cosmetics, coatings, packaging, and biotechnology [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. The synthesis and applications of AgNPs have already become a research hotspot in recent years [ 8 , 9 ].…”

The Influence of Iron Ions on Optical Brighteners and Their Application to Cotton Fabrics

“…The W CIE was calculated automatically, according to EN ISO 105-J02 [ 32 ]. Transmittance was measured with a UV/V is spectrophotometer Varian-Cary 50/Solascreen, using a software package to calculate specific UPF values using the in vitro method according to AS/NZS 4399:1996 [ 33 , 34 ]. UPF is an expression indicating the degree of protection against UV radiation and is calculated automatically from the transmittance T ( λ ), according to the following equation: where:…”