Antibacterial and mothproofing wool fabrics modified by M-Arg/PHMG and ZnO

Abstract

The increasing focus on sustainable and eco-friendly materials has sparked a growing interest in wool as a natural fiber for sustainable fashion, thanks to its skin-friendly properties, warmth, breathability, renewability and biodegradability. The advancement of wool fabrics with durable antimicrobial and moth-resistant qualities could significantly enhance the utilization of wool in the production of high-quality textiles. This study investigates the synthesis of M−Arg and polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) and their application in the surface modification of wool fibers, with an evaluation of the antimicrobial properties of the treated fabrics. Initially, plasma was used to pre-treat the wool fibers, followed by the adsorption of M−Arg and PHMG and ZnO in situ on the fiber’s surface. The antibacterial effectiveness against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) microorganisms was assessed through antibacterial testing of the M−Arg/PHMG/ZnO-Fiber (MPN-Fiber). Results showed that the MPN-Fiber exhibited a significantly higher antimicrobial rate compared to untreated wool fiber. The prepared MPN-Fiber inhibited E. coli and S. aureus by 99.64 ± 1.04 % and 96.47 ± 2.14 %, respectively. Additionally, the MPN-fiber has good washing resistance (20 times, lose only 10 %). The experimental results clearly demonstrated that the MPN-Fiber exhibited exemplary antibacterial and moth-proof properties, confirming the success of the innovative surface modification approach.