Durable Multifunctional Modification of Nylon Fabric with Excellent Flame Retardancy, Antibacterial and UV-Resistant Properties

Nylon fabric possesses high strength, good resilience, abrasion resistance and moisture absorption which is widely used as the textile materials. However, there are some potential safety risks due to its high flammability, poor heat and light stability, and melt-dripping phenomenon during combustion. In this paper, nylon fabric was multifunctional modified by bio-based tannic acid (TA) and phytic acid (PA) to obtain flame retardancy, ultraviolet protection and antibacterial properties simultaneously. The multifunctional coating was constructed on nylon fabric using the simple finishing method. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) of treated nylon fabric significantly increased to 39%, and its dripping was completely eliminated, showing excellent flame retardancy and anti-dripping property. In order to improve the washing durability of the multifunctional coating, polyethyleneimine (PEI) was introduced to form covalent and ionic bonds with TA, PA and nylon fabric to enhance the interfacial binding strength. After four times washing, the LOI value of treated fabric was still higher than 29% showing good washing durability. The antibacterial rates of treated nylon fabric against E. coli and S. aureus were higher than 99%. And the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) value of treated nylon fabric increased from 12.105 to 264.82, showing excellent antibacterial and ultraviolet protection properties. This research provides the experimental basis for multifunctional modification of textile fabrics by using bio-based compounds.

Automated summary

This study successfully achieved multifunctional modification of nylon fabric using bio-based compounds, obtaining a coating with flame retardancy, UV protection, and antibacterial properties. The treated nylon fabric showed excellent flame retardancy, washing durability, and antibacterial properties.