A novel and practical process to sustainable mosquito-borne disease prevention

Abstract

As textiles with multi-functions involved various cost and time consuming processes with different chemicals, we proposed a novel, facile, and environmentally friendly single-step coating based on mixed-colloid and water-based systems for multifunctional biodefense applications in textiles. This research pioneered the fabrication of mosquito repellent textiles with unprecedented antibacterial and easy care functions expected to minimize wash requirement while maximizing their life cycle. Experimentally, water-based and multicomponent formulations containing encapsulated citronella were prepared. As mixed colloidal system, their stabilities were investigated and optimized via sizes and zeta potential of the starting materials and final mixtures. In order to keep their original functions in the mixed colloidal solution while maintaining inherent physical characteristics such as sizes and charge, our approach developed around the concept of molecular shielding by simply using a negatively charged dispersing agent, commonly employed in dyeing but not finishing processes, with compatibilizing units able to physically interact with its opposite surface charge. The stable formulations were applied on fabrics via conventional pad-dry-cure processes, with variation of weight of fabrics and % pick up. Our laboratory study resulted in unprecedented prototypes with multiple easy care properties confirmed by AATCC standards—water repellent, anti UV, antibacterial, and enhanced tensile strength. The laboratory samples were then evaluated against a standard bio efficacy method which unveiled excellent 97.93 % mosquito repellency. Our work extended to pilot coating under industrial circumstance and mosquito repellent field trial which allowed for production scale multifunctional mosquito repellent fabrics which held promises for protection against mosquito-borne diseases and biohazards.