Developments in Antimicrobial Textiles – Some Insights on Current Research Trends

N Gokarneshan*, VB Nagarajan and SR Viswanath

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000160

Received: June 23, 2017   Published: June 30, 2017

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Abstract

The article reviews the recent trends in the development of antimicrobial textiles. Bacterial cellulose has been produced from gram negative bacteria at the air liquid interface of sugary rich medium. The bacterial cellulose so produced can be used in making absorbent pads and nonwoven textiles. Viscose fabrics have been modified to enhance the attraction for nano metal oxides in order to impart antibacterial activity against two types of bacterial species. The treatment has lead to a unique ability to stop growth of microorganisms on the viscose fabrics are treated with acid and after treatment with nano metal oxides. Also the antimicrobial activity could endure many washes. Antimicrobial finish has been imparted to wool fabric by application of chitosan derivative through a microwave heating system.

The microwave finished wool fabric exhibits better antimicrobial activity and durability to washes in comparison with conventionally finished wool fabrics without loss in strength properties. Natural and regenerated bamboo/cotton knitted fabrics have been finished with the extracts of piper betel leaves. The finished fabrics have been evaluated for the antibacterial activity against a select range of pathogens commonly encountered in human foot wounds. The fabrics so finished have been compared with untreated fabrics and fabrics treated with commercially available antibiotics used in the treatment of foot wounds. The herbal treated fabrics have been microencapsulated to improve wash durability. Three types of antibacterial microfibers have been developed by addition of nano silver particles during melt spinning process. The bacteriostatic reduction rates ranged between 65-99% depending on the fineness of the fibres produced.

Keywords: Antimicrobial fiber; Bacterial cellulose; Viscose fabrics; Nano metal oxide; Microwave Heating; Antiseptic finishing; Herbal extract

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