Ag Nanoparticles Growing onto Cotton Fabric Using Chitosan as a Template

Ag nanoparticles were grown on the surface of cotton fabric using chitosan as a template for preparing high uniform antibacterial cotton fabric. Chitosan was applied onto cotton fabric by pad-dry-cure method in presence of citric acid as crosslinking agent. Cotton fabric modified with chitosan was characterized by measuring nitrogen percentage (N%) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Chitosan modified cotton fabric was used to grow Ag-nanoparticles on it. The fabrics with Ag nanoparticles were characterized by measuring X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX), and tested for antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. aureus, Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (E. coli, Gram-negative bacteria). The results obtained confirmed the presence of chitosan on the surface of cotton fabric that was confirmed by FTIR. The data obtained indicate also the presence of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of cotton fabric that was confirmed by XRD, SEM, EDX. Cotton fabric produced had antibacterial effect only against Staphylococcus aureus.