Antibacterial and absorbent acrylonitrile-vinylidene chloride copolymer fibres

series of antibacterial and absorbent acrylonitrile (AN)-vinylidene chloride (VDC) copolymer fibres were fabricated by adding micro- or nano-sized silver-impregnated activated carbon (Ag-AC) powders in AN-VDC copolymer-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution, and then extruded through a spinneret into a coagulation bath of DMF-water. The fibres containing less than 25 wt% of Ag-AC were spun smoothly. The structure and properties of the fibres were characterized using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and other universal test methods. The BET specific surface areas of the fibres were determined from nitrogen adsorption isotherms, and the absorbability was measured by methylene blue (MB) absorption. The results show that the tensile strength and strain of the fibre containing 20 wt% Ag-AC are 1.3 cN/dtexs and 30%. The BET specific surface area of this fibre is 198 m(2)/g. The antibacterial activity of the fibres containing 0.10 wt% silver is excellent, the bactericide efficiency of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus is above 99%.