Fabrication of antimicrobial viscose fibers containing silver nanoparticle@catechol formaldehyde resin microspheres

Catechol formaldehyde resin microspheres with surface-distributed silver nanoparticles (Ag@CFR microspheres) were synthesized and then used as functional additives to fabricate antimicrobial viscose fibers (Ag@CFR/viscose fibers) through the wet spinning method. Ag@CFR microspheres showed high broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and presented low cytotoxicity on mammalian cells. With 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt% additions of Ag@CFR microspheres in the viscose solution, all the viscose spinning solutions exhibited a little change in the viscosity and showed long-term stability without any sedimentation of the particles. With only 0.5 wt% additions of Ag@CFR microspheres, Ag@CFR/viscose fibers achieved high antimicrobial activities and severally presented a bacteriostasis and fungistatic rate of 99.6%, 99.4%, and 92.7% against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. Ag@CFR microspheres had very little influence on the mechanical and moisture absorption performance of the fiber. This work can provide an approach for the large-scale production of antibacterial viscose fibers and widen the application of Ag NPs in high-quality functional regenerated cellulose fibers.

Automated summary

In this study, catechol formaldehyde resin microspheres with surface-distributed silver nanoparticles were used as functional additives to fabricate antimicrobial viscose fibers. The microspheres exhibited high antibacterial properties and low cytotoxicity, and had minimal influence on the mechanical and moisture absorption performance of the fibers.