Abstract
This review presents current literature on different nanocomposite coatings and surface finishing for textiles, and in particular this study has focused on smart materials, drug-delivery systems, industrial, antifouling and nano/ultrafiltration membrane coatings. Each of these nanostructured coatings shows interesting properties for different fields of application. In this review, particular attention is paid to the synthesis and the consequent physico-chemical characteristics of each coating and, therefore, to the different parameters that influence the substrate deposition process. Several techniques used in the characterization of these surface finishing coatings were also described. In this review the sol–gel method for preparing stimuli-responsive coatings as smart sensor materials is described; polymers and nanoparticles sensitive to pH, temperature, phase, light and biomolecules are also treated; nanomaterials based on phosphorus, borates, hydroxy carbonates and silicones are used and described as flame-retardant coatings; organic/inorganic hybrid sol–gel coatings for industrial applications are illustrated; carbon nanotubes, metallic oxides and polymers are employed for nano/ultrafiltration membranes and antifouling coatings. Research institutes and industries have collaborated in the advancement of nanotechnology by optimizing conversion processes of conventional materials into coatings with new functionalities for intelligent applications.
Highlights
Different nanostructured coatings and surface finishing, characterized by length range between 1 and 100 nm, may be deposited on the external area of a matrix to implement or enhance the materials efficiency for several applications [1]
Polymers that respond to biomolecules can provide high specificity, higher than those that respond to physical or chemical stimuli, they are being studied in the context of drug-delivery systems
The AF mechanism is still not very clear, but three different mechanisms of the action of zinc oxide (ZnO) are proposed: (1) the micro/nano-topography of the coatings; (2) the toxicity of Zn2+ ions released from the coating which binds with the bacteria, affecting the bacterial growth cycle and (3) the aforementioned production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under an appropriate environment
Summary
Different nanostructured coatings and surface finishing, characterized by length range between 1 and 100 nm, may be deposited on the external area of a matrix to implement or enhance the materials efficiency for several applications [1]. A large number of sensing molecules can be integrated with fabrics allowing the use of such smart fabrics in medicine, health care, fitness, wellness, diagnostic, and environmental fields [5,6] Such integration can be possible through the development of smart (or active) coatings able to sense and react to specific changes in the environment thanks to reversible or irreversible variations in their physical or chemical properties [7]. Than amorphous ones due to their resonant bonding [16] Their reversible phase transition, non-volatile electrical/optical switchability, optical non-linearity, infrared transparency, photosensitivity make them interesting for developing reconfigurable metamaterial-based nanodevices with tunable optical properties with applications in solar cells, photonics, memories, and sensors [16]
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