Multifunctional Textiles Research Articles

Antimicrobial, anti-biofouling, antioxidant, and biocompatible fabrics with high durability via green growth of trimetallic nanoparticles

There is a high demand for green and sustainable multifunctional fabrics, which find application in a variety of real-life contexts. This study addresses the development of antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-biofouling and biocompatible fabrics through a one-step, versatile and cost-effective in-situ green growth strategy. Monometallic, bimetallic and trimetallic nanoparticles comprising silver (Ag), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were grown in-situ on fabric surfaces using Sideritis scardica extract. The average size of nanoparticles was 99 ± 25 nm, 131 ± 29 nm, 68 ± 18 nm for Ag, Cu and Zn. The metallic nanoparticles grown on the fabric surface imparted a range of colors to the fabrics, including yellow, brownish and greenish hues. Nanoparticle-decorated fabrics have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-biofouling, biocompatibility, and high durability properties. The decoration of fabrics with metallic nanoparticles mediated antimicrobial properties against bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus) and fungi (C. albicans), achieving a reduction of over 99.99 % (Logarithmic reduction>4). Bimetallic and trimetallic Ag and Cu nanoparticles exhibited enhanced antifungal activity in comparison to their monometallic counterparts. The cytotoxic effects of Cu were effectively eliminated through the fabrication of bimetallic nanostructures containing Zn. Notably, the biocompatibility of monometallic and bimetallic combinations involving Ag and Zn exceeded 95 %. The water contact angles of the decorated fabrics ranged from 145° to 153°. The superhydrophobic character of the fabrics prevented pathogen adhesion and inhibited biofilm formation. Moreover, all nanoparticle-decorated fabrics demonstrated antioxidant properties, with radical-scavenging activity ranging from 46 % to 91 %. The fabrics retained their antimicrobial properties against mechanical abrasion, heating and repeated cycles of washing and bending.

Scalable Production of Functional Fibers with Nanoscale Features for Smart Textiles.

Functional fibers, retaining nanoscale characteristics or nanomaterial properties, represent a significant advance in nanotechnology. Notably, the combination of scalable manufacturing with cutting-edge nanotechnology further expands their utility across numerous disciplines. Manufacturing kilometer-scale functional fibers with nanoscale properties are critical to the evolution of smart textiles, wearable electronics, and beyond. This review discusses their design principles, manufacturing technologies, and key advancements in the mass production of such fibers. In addition, it summarizes the current applications and state of progress in scalable fiber technologies and provides guidance for future advances in multifunctional smart textiles, by highlighting the upcoming impending demands for evolving nanotechnology. Challenges and directions requiring sustained effort are also discussed, including material selection, device design, large-scale manufacturing, and multifunctional integration. With advances in functional fibers and nanotechnology in large-scale production, wearable electronics, and smart textiles could potentially enhance human-machine interaction and healthcare applications.

Recycling primary batteries into advanced graphene flake-based multifunctional smart textiles for energy storage, strain sensing, electromagnetic interference shielding, antibacterial, and deicing applications

Batteries are extensively used owing to their pivotal role in energy storage. However, their adverse environmental impact remains a significant challenge. The prevailing technologies for treating and handling battery waste are remarkably complex and expensive, highlighting the urgent need to upcycle spent battery materials into valuable resources to mitigate their environmental footprint. To that end, this paper reports a scheme for recycling graphite rods and Zn from Zn–C batteries. In this approach, polymeric composites synthesized using graphene flakes extracted from the graphite rods of spent batteries are used to fabricate multifunctional cotton textiles, and the outer Zn case of the spent batteries is employed as a Zn anode in energy storage devices. The synthesized multifunctional fabric shows excellent energy storage performance, particularly in Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors, achieving a specific capacitance of 140 F g−1 at a scan rate of 0.5 A g−1; an electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency of ∼48 dB; wearable sensing capabilities for human motion detection; and Joule heating behavior for deicing. Moreover, the fabric exhibits remarkable antibacterial efficiency, with an approximately 27-mm-wide inhibition zone against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The “waste-to-wonder” strategy presented herein holds promise for environmental protection and innovative multifunctional textile fabrication.

Synergetic construction of color and multifunction for sustainable lyocell fabric by Coptis chinensis and BTCA

In the context of escalating standards of living, the demand for healthy and multifunctional textiles is increasing. As a kind of cellulose macromolecular-based material, lyocell fiber has low carbon, is environmentally friendly, and demonstrates superb performance. The utilization of some Chinese herb dyes solves the pollution problem in the color and functionality construction of lyocell fabric by synthetic dyes and finishing agents. However, problems such as low dye utilization rate, light apparent color, and weak functionality of dyed fabrics remain, thus limiting the further application of the powerful combination of lyocell fabric and Chinese herb dyes. Here, a color and multifunction construction method of lyocell fabric with Coptis chinensis and 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid was proposed. Under the optimal color construction condition, the color depth increased remarkably, and the dye exhaustion rate of the modified fabric enhanced by 332.3 % compared with the unmodified one. The multifunction construction imparted outstanding fuzz and pilling inhibition, fibrillation resistance, and antiwrinkle performance for lyocell fabrics. Moreover, the dyed lyocell fabric exhibited considerable UV protective activity and antibacterial property against Staphylococcus aureus. This work provided an efficient color and multifunction construction technology for lyocell fabric with high value added.

Yarn-Based Degradable Janus PPDO Fabric for Multifunctional Applications.

The growing high standard of people's wear has put forward requirements for fabrics, and multifunctional fabrics have been developed precisely in response to the requirements of the times. However, the incineration of waste fabrics produces a large amount of pollutants, resulting in a massive waste of resources and environmental pollution. Herein, the degradable nanofiber yarns (NYs) with self-cleaning properties were fabricated by in situ growth of SiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of the electrospun poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO) NYs using the Stöber method. Then, the PPDO NYs were blended with carbon fibers and the PPDO/SiO2 NYs with themselves to form the Janus PPDO fabrics, respectively. The Janus PPDO fabric offered asymmetric wettability and dual personal thermal management properties. The PPDO/C side of the Janus PPDO fabric provided 65.8 °C at 1.5 V or 58.5 °C under one sunlight intensity for radiative heating. The PPDO/SiO2 side exhibited high solar reflectivity (81.8%) and mid-infrared (MIR) emissivity (99.1%), which reduced the skin temperature by 4.6 °C, resulting in radiative cooling. Moreover, the Janus PPDO fabrics display an excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance (53.3 dB). Therefore, yarn-based degradable Janus fabric has a promising future in multifunctional wearable products.

Robust, intelligent photochromic cotton fabrics with superamphiphobicity and expedient UV detection ability

Multifunctional photochromic cotton fabrics have enormous application potential in our daily lives, but still suffer from poor durability, slow coloration, tedious fabrication process, and short service life. The hydrophilic and polysaccharide characteristics of cotton fabrics make them vulnerable to bacteria adhesion and proliferation. Herein, intelligent photochromic cotton fabrics featured with durable superamphiphobicity are fabricated by in situ growth of ZIF-8 nanoparticles encapsulating spirooxazine (SP) photochromic dyes on the fabric surface, followed by low surface energy treatment using a fluorocarbon resin (FR) via a dip-coating method. The resultant SP@ZIF-8/FR cotton fabrics exhibit superamphiphobicity with contact angles of over 150° to both water and oils (surface tension ≥30 mN/m). When exposed to UV light, the fabric rapidly changes its color from white to blue within 10 s and fades in 2 min under visible room light. The developed SP@ZIF-8/FR coating is durable against numerous damages in daily usage, such as machine laundry, abrasion and UV irradiation, without losing photochromic and superamphiphobic properties. The high durability and excellent reversible color response allow the coated fabric to intuitively and quantitatively monitor outdoor UV intensity. Owing to the presence of ZIF-8, the treated fabrics also show excellent antibacterial property with antibacterial rates of over 99 % against both E. coli and S. aureus. The developed fabric coating can be engineered to visually assess the UV intensity in the outdoor environment.

Robust multifunctional superhydrophobic and photocatalytic composites with all-weather self-healing ability

Superhydrophobic surfaces with rapid self-healing ability are ideal for long-life superhydrophobic materials. The micro-nano rough structure has great influence on the superhydrophobicity, and the micro-dissolution cotton fabric can realize the stable load of nanoparticles. In this regard, we prepared multifunctional fabrics with an all-weather self-healing superhydrophobic layer and photocatalytic self-cleaning properties by spraying TiN and TiO2 on micro-dissolution-treated polypyrrole/cotton fabrics. The results show that the modified fabrics maintain superhydrophobicity even in harsh environments (water contact angle (WCA) up to 160.0°, water sliding angle (WSA) as low as 3.9°), with excellent abrasion resistance and stability. Even after the fabric loses superhydrophobicity due to ion etching, the superhydrophobicity can be quickly restored by photothermal or electrothermal treatment in 13 min. At the same time, the prepared multifunctional fabrics have hydrophobic and oleophilic properties, and possess good oil-water separation efficiency (98.8 %). After being contaminated by oil, the WCA recovers from 135.0° to 160.0° via the photocatalytic property of the fabric. In addition, the fabrics exhibit excellent de-icing effects. This research provides new opportunities to extend the life of superhydrophobic textiles with all-weather self-healing properties.

Improvement of fire safety for viscose fabrics based on phytic acid modified tea polyphenols complexed iron ions

In this work, a multifunctional finishing agent named as PATFe was prepared from phytic acid (PA), tea polyphenols (TP), and Fe3+. The optimum weight ratio of PA to TP was determined by exploring the effect on flame retardant and tensile properties of viscose fabrics. Then, the effects of different concentrations of iron ions on the flame retardant and tensile properties of viscose fabrics were further investigated, and finally, multifunctional viscose fabrics, PATFe-9, were prepared. The system was investigated to confer the multifunctional effects on the flame retardant, bacteriostatic, and UV-resistant properties of viscose fabrics under the condition of lower weight gains (about 6.0 wt%). The limiting oxygen index of PATFe-9 reached 33.7 % with a weight gain of 6.1 wt%, and PATFe-9 had an inhibition effect against Staphylococcus aureus, and the ultraviolet protection factor value reached 67. It is worth noting that the breaking force retention rate of this system reached 100 %, which greatly improves the scope of use and added value of viscose fabrics.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL MODIFICATION OF COTTON FABRIC FOR ANTIMICROBIAL, FLAME-RETARDANT AND OLEOPHOBIC PROPERTIES

In recent times, the investigation and development of multifunctional textiles have become a necessity for the textile and apparel industries. Therefore, this paper explores an innovative approach to enhancing the functional properties of cotton (cellulosic) fabric by integrating advanced technologies to impart oleophobic/hydrophobic, flame-retardant, and antibacterial characteristics. The methodology involves systematically applying chemical treatments utilizing a layer-by-layer finishing technique to achieve the desired multifunctionality in cotton fabric. Silver nanoparticles and a phosphorus-nitrogen-based synergistic flame-retarding agent were employed to finish the fabric. Performance testing encompasses evaluating bacterial reduction, contact angle measurements, water absorption properties, flame-retardant capabilities, and Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI). Characterization techniques such as FTIR, SEM, and EDX analysis, were carried out to assess structural and chemical modifications of the material. The results illustrate a notable transformation of the cellulosic fabric, showcasing enhanced resistance to bacterial attack, improved stain resistance, and heightened flame-retardant performance, without compromising its color indices and air permeability. The fabric retains these multifunctional attributes even after 20 cycles of laundering, which confers durability. The implications of this research extend the application of conventional cotton fabric in diverse sectors, including apparel, home furnishings, and industrial textiles.

A Highly Robust, Multifunctional, and Breathable Bicomponent Fibers Thermoelectric Fabric for Dual-Mode Sensing.

Wearable thermoelectric (TE) materials are seen as excellent candidates for flexible electronics because of their unique self-powered properties, multistimulus sensing and human waste heat conversion. However, currently reported flexible TE materials still face challenges such as poor durability, uncomfortable wearing and sensing signals crosstalking each other. Herein, this study describes a hot-air cross-linking method for the preparation of multifunctional TE fabrics with enhanced durability. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers with core and sheath structures having different melting points were selected as flexible substrates. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were embedded stably on the surface of the sheath layer in the presence of heat treatment. The fiber-welded structure created by thermal cross-linking improves the durability of TE fabrics, including consistent mechanical and electrical properties after a 6 h wash test and 6000 compression cycles. The unique fiber structure of TE fabrics ensures excellent breathability (313.7 mm s-1 at 200 Pa), which meets the breathability requirements for human wear. In addition, the fiber-prepared sensors have excellent compressive strain response (20 ms response time and 30 ms recovery time) and precise temperature discrimination (0.17 K minimum discrimination temperature) for accurate real-time monitoring of the sensed signals. Thus, the TE fabrics can be used for human motion recognition, including pulse monitoring, sign language expression, and motions in joint areas. Moreover, the fabricated wearable TE device is connected to a Bluetooth module for wireless transmission, which can be used for mechanical and temperature sensing of the robot arm without signals crosstalking. This new durable TE fabric paves the way for the next generation of smart wearable technology.

Protein-tannin interactions towards fabricating flame-retardant, UV-resistance, antibacterial and mechanical-reinforced PA66 fabric

The “Protein-polyphenol interactions” is a hot research topic in the field of interaction between biological macromolecules. Strong interactions between biomass polyphenolic tannins and proteins can be generated through covalent and non-covalent bonds. Inspired by this, keratin (Ker) and oxidized tannin (TA) was co-deposited on polyamide 66 (PA66) fabric to fabricate OTA/Ker coated PA66 fabric (PA66@OTA/Ker), which was then chelated with Fe3+ to prepare fire resistance and anti-dripping PA66 fabric (PA66@OTA/Ker@Fe). The results showed that the total heat release rate (THR), peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total smoke production (TSP) of PA66@OTA/Ker@Fe were reduced by 51 %, 57 % and 52 %, respectively. PA66@OTA/Ker@Fe had a residue char of 21.6 % at 800 °C under N2 atmosphere. In addition, the LOI of PA66@OTA/Ker@Fe increased from 20.5 % of the control sample to 28.5 % and reached a UL-94 V-0 rating. Besides, PA66@OTA/Ker@Fe exhibited excellent UV resistance, good mechanical and anti-bacterial properties. This work provides an eco-friendly strategy for developing multifunctional PA66 fabrics.

Moisture-wicking Janus-structure electronic knitted fabric for multimodal wearable mechanical sensing

Multimodal mechanical sensors that can recognize bending direction and exhibit excellent wearable performance are crucial for the fields of physical exercise and healthcare. This study fabricated a knitted multimodal sensor with porous and wetting gradients using hydrophobic core-spun yarns and hydrophilic CNT/WPU conductive yarns in plain stitch and partial tuck stitch. The electronic fabric demonstrated reliable strain sensing unaffected by compression disturbances and displayed a selective response to directional bending. The sensor exhibits a 50% sensing range with a GFmax of −4.41 during strain deformation detection. In terms of bending detection, one side achieves a 10% sensing range (−51.68°) with a GFmax of −6.89, while the other side achieves a 20% sensing range (73.72°) with a GFmax of 8.64. Encouragingly, deep learning incorporated with the sensor achieves an impressive recognition rate of 98.16% for mixed signals with different force levels. Furthermore, it possesses excellent wearable properties such as breathability, moisture permeability, perspiration remove, quick-drying and washability, suitable for applications like activity monitoring, medical rehabilitation evaluation, and gesture recognition. This work presents a promising pathway for the advancement of next-generation multifunctional electronic textiles.

Development of bio-active cotton fabric coated with betalain extract as encapsulating agent for active packaging textiles

The development of bio-active cotton fabric based on natural polymers and pigments has been a significant material for biodegradable textile packaging in recent years. Betalain extracted (BE) from Red beet root (RBR) is a rich source of natural pigments and has potential health benefits as an antioxidant and in biological activities which used as food, beverage, and drug colorant. However, BE pigments are photochromically unstable and have interest applications, thereby motivating the use of microencapsulation technology to maintain their stability and increase their shelf lifetime. Thus, in the present work Incorporating BE into gelatinized corn starch (GS) and Arabic gum (AG) for manufacturing stabilized BE microcapsules with tunable antioxidant and biological properties by freeze-drying method. The produced encapsulating agent (EA) powders were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) for particle morphology and FTIR of selected EA was carried out. Monitoring of coloring strength values (K/S) and Color parameters before and after storage as well as storage stability of these microcapsules at different pH’s was also studied. The current study was performed to design multifunctional cotton fabric, for this purpose the cotton fabric was treated with keratin to improve its affinity toward 100 % BE, with and without (BE) EA were determined using a pad dry process. The chemical properties, physical properties, mechanical properties, thermal stability, and functional properties of the coated fabrics with and without (BE) as well as color parameters were determined. The results showed that the fabric coated with 100 % BE and 30 % BE incorporating or encapsulating with 60 % GS and 10 % AG exhibited good mechanical properties, excellent thermal stability, and significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activity compared to the uncoated fabric. The antioxidant release of BTE from the fabric coated with 60/10/30 EA was controlled by diffusion. According to the results, the developed multifunctional coated fabrics with BE encapsulating agent can be considered as a good potential material for active packaging textiles for various applications.

Green synthesis of multifunctional bamboo-based nonwoven fabrics for medical treatment

Medical nonwovens fabrics are pivotal materials in modern healthcare systems, and find extensively application in surgical gowns, masks, nursing pads, and surgical instrument packaging. As healthcare requirements evolve and medical technology advances, the demand for functional nonwoven medical devices is continuously increasing. In addition, numerous environmental challenges and the need to transition to a sustainable society have increased the popularity of studies on environmentally friendly multifunctional nonwoven materials prepared from biomass fibers. Therefore, in this study, ecofriendly bamboo fibers were used to fabricate multifunctional medical nonwoven materials with superhydrophobic, antibacterial, flame-retardant, and biocompatible properties. Specifically, ZIF-67 was grown in situ on natural bamboo cellulose fibers (BCFs) extracted from natural bamboo and coated with polydimethylsiloxane to construct an environmentally friendly and versatile nonwoven fabric. The treated nonwoven fabric exhibited superhydrophobicity with contact angle of 163° and possess excellent self-cleaning properties. The antibacterial activity of the samples was investigated by the plate-counting method; the results showed that the untreated BCFs did not exhibit antibacterial activity, whereas the treated bamboo nonwoven fabrics demonstrated significant antibacterial activity (p < 0.001), with an antibacterial rate of >99 % against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans. In addition, when the samples were exposed to different temperatures (−4 and 50 °C) and humidities (0 % and 95 %), they demonstrated an antibacterial activity of >99 % against E. coli (F5,10 = 0.602; p = 0.670) and S. aureus (F4,10 = 0.289; p = 0.879). The heat release rate and smoke production rate of the nonwoven fabric decreased by 54.64 % and 93.18 %, respectively, compared to those of the BCFs, indicating excellent flame retardancy. The nonwoven fabric also exhibited satisfactory biocompatibility and breathability, ensuring user comfortability. This research not only has significant implications for producing low-cost, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and multifunctional medical products and openi up new pathways for the diversified utilization of bamboo, thereby expanding its applicability.

Advanced multifunctional fabrics enabled by bioinspired coatings

The demand for textiles with functional properties has been increasing over the past few decades, driven by both civilian and military applications. In this study, we present a method to impart flame retardant (FR) and insect repellent (IR) properties to nylon-cotton blends. Flame retardancy was achieved by covalently attaching phytic acid, a bio-derived material, to the hydroxyl groups of cotton in nyco fabrics. Subsequently, these FR-treated nyco fabrics were coated with an acylate-based monomer along with permethrin to confer insect-repellent properties. FTIR-ATR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of weight of phytic acid on nyco fabric and the weight gain from this was 6 % with respect to initial fabric weight. The multifunctional fabrics exhibited a 200 % increase in char formation upon thermal degradation compared to untreated nyco. Moreover, the multifunctional fabrics demonstrated self-extinguishing properties with a char length of <15 cm, whereas untreated fabrics burned completely. In cone calorimeter experiments, FR-treated fabrics showed a reduction of over 25 % in total heat release compared to untreated controls. The addition of FR facilitates char formation and the release of non-flammable gases such as water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ammonia (NH3), suggesting a condensed phase mechanism of FR action as evident from TGA-FTIR evolved gas analysis. The insect repellent properties (IR) were evaluated using a tube test method as described by the World Health Organization, revealing a knockdown rate exceeding 98 % for fabrics treated with insect repellent.

Preparation and Thermal Properties of Magnetic PW@CaCO3@Fe3O4 Phase-Change Microcapsules and Their Application to Textile Fabrics.

Multifunctional thermal regulation materials with good thermal properties, efficient magnetic performance, and satisfactory interface bonding on fabrics are highly desirable for protective fabrics, building winter protection materials, medical thermal regulation materials, and special-environment work clothing. Herein, a new class of magnetic phase-change PW@CaCO3@Fe3O4 microcapsules was successfully produced by controlling the content of magnetic Fe3O4 through a self-assembly method. The microstructure, chemical composition, phase-change behavior, and magnetic properties of the products were sequentially characterized and analyzed. The findings revealed that the obtained microcapsules possessed regular spherical structure with uniform size and excellent thermal properties. Furthermore, PW@CaCO3 with Fe3O4 (i.e., 8% mass fraction) showed the highest thermal regulation and magnetic properties and reached an enthalpy value of 94.25 J·g-1, which is clearly superior to the value of 77.51 J·g-1 for PW@CaCO3 microcapsules. At the same time, the encapsulation efficiency of 38.7% and saturation magnetization of 2.50 emu·g-1 were the best among the four given samples. Therefore, the good paramagnetic feature had a significant synergistic effect on the thermal properties of the PW@CaCO3 microcapsules under study. More importantly, multifunctional fabrics loaded with PW@CaCO3@Fe3O4 microcapsules still showed an enthalpy value of 25.81 J·g-1 after several washes and have the potential to be used widely in the field of temperature control. The thermal regulation fabrics in this study exhibited excellent thermal properties and fastness, which contribute to their practical applications in advancing multifunctional textiles and high-technology modern fabrics.

A multi-functional coating on cotton fabric to incorporate electro-conductive, anti-bacterial, and flame-retardant properties

Multi-functional textiles have become a growing trend among smart customers who dream of having multiple functionalities in a single product. Thus, this study aimed to develop a multi-functional textile from a common textile substrate like cotton equipped with electrically conductive, anti-bacterial, and flame-retardant properties. Herein, a bunch of compounds from various sources like petro-based poly-aniline (PANI), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), inorganic silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), and biomass-sourced fish scale protein (FSP) were used. The coating was prepared via in-situ polymerization of PANI with the cotton substrate, followed by the dipping in AGNPs solution, layer-by-layer deposition of FSP and sodium alginate, and finally, a dip-dry-cure technique after immersing the modified cotton substrate into the H3PO4 and citric acid solution. The key results indicated that the fabric treated with PANI/Ag-NPs/FSP/P-compound exhibited a balanced improvement in all three desired properties as the electrical resistance was reduced by 44.44 % while showing superior bacterial inhibition against gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (E. coli), and produced dense-black carbonaceous char residues, indicating its flame retardant properties as well. Thus, such amicable developments made the cotton textile substrate a multi-functional textile, which showed potential to be used in medical textiles, wearable electronics, fire-fighter suits, etc.

Strategically engineered multifunctional graphene oxide hybrid nanomaterials for efficient catalytic degradation and emerging contaminants treatment

The use of functional textiles is growing in all fields of science and technology. Surface functionalization is mainly used to impart conventional textiles with new functionalities and improved performances. In the present study, a cobalt ferrite nanoparticle/graphene oxide (CoFe2O4/GO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric with excellent catalytic and antibacterial properties, has been successfully developed. The PET-coated CoFe2O4/GO samples, ranging from 1 % to 5 % wt. were obtained using a simple dip-coating method in CoFeO/GO solution (1 mg/mL), and were investigated through several physiochemical characterization techniques. CoFe2O4/GO and PET fabric have been shown to establish an interfacial connection by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that CoFe2O4/GO coating did not affect the PET crystallinity and that CoFe2O4/GO hybrid was incorporated in the PET samples, which was proved as well by the morphological study through Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, thermogravimetric characterisation (TGA) verified that the coating does not change or impair the quality of the fibre and that the PET@CoFe2O4/GO as made is thermally stable. Tensile strength tests demonstrated that coated fabrics exhibited outstanding mechanical properties in comparison with pristine PET. Moreover, the coated PET@CoFe2O4/GO fabric was used as a model catalytic system for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation in the rhodamine B (RhB) degradation reaction. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measurements showed that TOC removal reached 89.82 % in only 12 min reaction. The results confirmed that the coated fabrics exhibited high catalytic performances, good stability and reusability in consecutive degradation experiments with a degradation rate over 60 % even after 7 degradation cycles; Moreover, it is easily and simply separated from the mixture, by removing the textile sample from the aqueous solution. It is worth mentioning that the PET@CoFe2O4/GO fabrics showed outstanding antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) bacteria with an inhibition diameter zone of up to 13 mm for PET@CoFe2O4/GO (5 %). Overall, these findings are of great importance as they permit the development of a novel multifunctional textile fabric, combining anti-bacterial activity, catalytic performance and mechanical properties. The study provides a textile-based catalyst with improved catalytic performance, re-usability in consecutive degradation reactions and easy catalyst separation compared to traditional supports. Thus, a huge potential application in several fields such as medicine, heterogeneous catalysis, and wastewater treatment.

Multifunctional coating with hydrophobicity, antibacterial and flame-retardant properties on cotton fabrics by layer-by-layer self-assembly curing of phytic acid and a tyrosine-derived hyperbranched benzoxazine

The inherent hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of cotton fabrics facilitated bacterial proliferation and safety concerns, limiting their applications. To address these issues, tyrosine-derived polyetherimide, bis(3-aminopropyl)-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane), and paraformaldehyde were used to synthesize hyperbranched benzoxazine THB-BOZs-PDMS with potent antibacterial and antibiofilm activity. The protonated amino groups of benzoxazine facilitated electrostatic interactions with negatively charged bacteria, and hydrophobic interactions disrupted the cell membrane, leading to bacteria death. Notably, phytic acid interacts with benzoxazines through intermolecular forces, with its phosphoric acid groups facilitating the curing of benzoxazines, thereby imparting flame-retardant properties to the material. Consequently, a multifunctional coating was developed via LBL self-assembly and in-situ curing of benzoxazines and phytic acid on the fabric surfaces. The successful deposition of the coating was confirmed through compositional analysis and morphological characterization. After 4 cycles of LBL modification, the fabrics TBP + PA-CF-4 displayed outstanding antibacterial efficacy, bacterial anti-adhesion properties, and heat resistance. Furthermore, TBP + PA-CF-4 exhibited notable washing and mechanical durability, attributed to the stability conferred by in-situ cured of layers. Compared with other reported modified fabrics, TBP + PA-CF-4 displayed more comprehensive overall performances. These multifunctional fabrics provided a sustainable approach for advancing personal protective materials and public decoration, particularly suited for use in high-humidity environments or military settings.

Bioinspired fireproof textiles with hierarchical micropore for radiative cooling and perspiration

Even though the huge potential in significantly decreasing the energy consumption for cooling buildings and the human body is presented by radiative cooling technology, there is still a long way to realize its real-commercial application, considering comprehensive performances, such as safety, comfort, longevity, and production cost. Inspired by the biological micro-nano structures of Cyphochilus, we develop a one-step, large-scale, and low commercial-cost method to prepare multifunctional composite textiles, with effective cooling, fire safety, and directional water transportation. The high emissivity (96.8 %) in the atmospheric window and high reflectivity (97.1 %) in the solar waveband are successfully achieved. When exposed to direct sunlight, composite textiles can achieve up to 5 °C below commercial textiles at a solar intensity of 750 W•m−2. Besides, the directional water transportation and the excellent mechanical strength further improve the practical application. This work proposes a radiatively cooled composite textile to achieve personal thermal management and fire protection to meet the needs of specialty garments such as firefighting suits.