Biofunctional wool using β-cyclodextrins as vehiculizer of citronella oil

Abstract

Abstract The use of biopolymers such as cyclodextrin in textiles for the development of biofunctional fabrics is an alternative for the development of eco-friendly textiles. Cyclodextrins can create covalent interactions with the chemical groups available in wool, allowing the sorption of active molecules that will be released, such as the citronella oil. Therefore, this work investigates the formation of cyclodextrin complex oil applied in wool and its release mechanism. The complexes obtained and grafted to the fabric. New microstructures formed have been characterized using instruments as TGA, DLS, FTIR-ATR and SEM, besides the verification of the durability of the finish and the cytotoxicity of the obtained fabric. The release of citronella oil was, also analyzed and mathematical adjustments were performed using the approach proposed by Korsmeyer-Peppas in order to verify the release mechanisms. Results have indicated the formation of the complex and its fixation by covalent bonding, according to the FTIR-ATR specter and SEM images, have shown an non-fickian, but controlled, release profile. For this reason, the application of the complexes in wool fabrics shows promising options for the design and production of eco-friendly biofunctional materials for controlled release, allowing the oil properties to be used in textile matrices.