Fabrication Of Substrates Research Articles

Frequency Selective Surfaces: Design, Analysis, and Applications

This paper aims to provide a general review of the fundamental ideas, varieties, methods, and experimental research of the most advanced frequency selective surfaces available today. Frequency-selective surfaces are periodic structures engineered to work as spatial filters in interaction with electromagnetic (EM) waves with different frequencies, polarization, and incident angles in a desired and controlled way. They are usually made of periodic elements with dimensions less than the operational wavelength. The primary issue examined is the need for more efficient, compact, and adaptable electromagnetic filtering solutions. The research method involved a comprehensive review of recent advancements in FSS design, focusing on structural diversity, miniaturization, multiband operations, and the integration of active components for tunability and reconfigurability. Key findings include the development of highly selective miniaturized FSSs, innovative applications on flexible and textile substrates, and the exploration of FSSs for liquid and strain sensing. The conclusions emphasize the significant potential of FSS technology to enhance wireless communication, environmental monitoring, and defense applications. This study provides valuable insights into the design and application of FSSs, aiming to guide future research and development in this dynamic field.

Proposal of a Biobased and Biodegradable Polymer as a Hot Embossing Substrate for Holographic Security Marks Fabrication

ABSTRACTThe alarming increase in counterfeiting has determined a more intensive application of authentication solutions such as holographic security marks. Polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate currently used in the hot embossing process to produce security marks are discarded as non‐biodegradable waste after utilization. For the first time, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was studied here as a hot‐embossing substrate to imprint a micro‐relief containing diffractive gratings, as a stage in the fabrication of holographic security marks. Four PLA grades, which differ by crystallinity and mechanical properties, were used to define the suitability of PLA for hot embossing. The 3D topography of embossed micro‐relief in PLA plates was investigated by quantitative phase imaging, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The analyses showed that a high crystallinity and a low d‐lactide content of PLA render the hot‐embossing process more difficult and decrease the quality of the imprinted micro‐relief. The average height of the micro‐relief and the difference in height values, which were determined by AFM, allowed the ranking of the PLA grades according to the quality of the diffracted image. The possibility of recycling the embossed PLA substrate several times before composting was also demonstrated in this work. The variation of the mechanical properties, thermal stability, melting, and crystallization behaviors after each recycling cycle has shown that PLA can be reprocessed six times without significant damage to the properties. This study demonstrated that PLA can replace petroleum‐based polymers in the fabrication of holographic security marks and its suitability for a plethora of optoelectronics applications.

Analytic modeling and validation of strain in textile-based OLEDs for advanced textile display technologies

In the IoT era, the demand for wearable displays is rapidly growing, catalyzing the advancement of research into textile-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). This growing interest stems particularly from the inherent flexibility of textile-based OLEDs1,2, allowing for seamless integration into the dynamic and interactive functionalities of cutting-edge wearable technology, alongside their superior electrical performance. The durability and mechanical robustness of these displays, especially under physical stress and deformation, are critical to their practical application and longevity. Thus, understanding and enhancing the mechanical properties of textile-based OLEDs is paramount for their successful integration into wearable technologies. However, many studies assessing the mechanical properties of OLEDs have predominantly relied on simplistic bending test outcomes determined by the radius, often neglecting or insufficiently analyzing the strain exerted on the OLEDs atop textile substrates in relation to curvature of these devices. Existing analyses typically presume pure bending, though such an assumption leads to considerable errors in strain estimations, making such approaches problematic if the goal is practical application in actual wearable display products. To address these limitations, an analytic model that includes a comprehensive energy equation is introduced, considering the stretching energy, bending energy, and shear energy of each layer composing the textile substrate. This holistic approach provides a novel formula specifically designed to calculate the top surface strain of textile substrates. Robust validation of this formula is conducted by comparing its results with strain measurements obtained from digital image correlation (DIC) and finite element analysis (FEA) outcomes from ANSYS across various bending radii (or equivalently, curvatures). The close alignment of the calculated strain values with those derived from DIC and FEA not only underscores the precision of this formula but also highlights its significant potential for enhancing the designs and functionalities of future wearable display technologies under real-world conditions.

Green Advances in Wet Finishing Methods and Nanoparticles for Daily Textiles.

This work presented an overview of greener technologies for realizing everyday fabrics with enhanced antibacterial activity, flame retardancy, water repellency, and UV protection. Traditional methods for improving these qualities in textiles involved dangerous chemicals, energy and water-intensive procedures, harmful emissions. New strategies are presented in response to the current emphasis on process and product sustainability. Nanoparticles (NPs) are suggested as a potential alternative for hazardous components in textile finishing. NPs are found to efficiently decrease virus transmission, limit combustion events, protect against UV radiation, and prevent water from entering, through a variety of mechanisms. Some attempts are made to increase NPs efficiency and promote long-term adherence to textile surfaces. Traditional wet finishing methods are implemented through a combination of advanced green technologies (plasma pre-treatment, ultrasound irradiations, sol-gel, and layer-by-layer self-assembly methods). The fibrous surface is activated by adding functional groups that facilitate NPs grafting on the textile substrate by basic interactions (chemical, physical, or electrostatic), also indirectly via crosslinkers, ligands, or coupling agents. Finally, other green options explore the use of NPs synthesized from bio-based materials or hybrid combinations, as well as inorganic NPs from green synthesis to realize ecofriendly finishing able to provide durable and protective fabrics.

Robust PFAS‐Free Superhydrophobicity Exhibited in Hierarchically Nanostructured Coatings on Textiles

Long chain per‐ and polyfluorinated chemical compounds, commonly referred to as PFAS, historically offered superior breathable and flexible water‐repellent textile finishes on clothing. Now notoriously deemed “forever chemicals” for their environmental persistence and ability to bioaccumulate, they can cause a range of human health impacts including cancer and reproductive harm, which has highlighted the need for less harmful but equally superhydrophobic coatings. Inspired by the microscopically bumpy water‐repellent surfaces of lotus leaves, this work introduces a PFAS‐free hierarchical nanocoating on and within textile substrates using a multistep synthetic approach, involving fabric pretreatment to facilitate a robust particle‐to‐substrate attachment of subsequently infiltrated silica nanoparticles (NPs), followed by surface functionalization of textile‐infiltrated NPs with long‐alkyl‐chain silanes to impart PFAS‐free water repellency. The system is subjected to rigorous wash testing and found consistent superhydrophobic performance after 65 wash cycles. Furthermore, the system can be adapted as a flexible platform technology for a variety of design opportunities by changing the substrate, NP composition, and surface chemistry to suit a variety of applications. Herein, a robust, flexible, and breathable interface between fabric and water that offers a next‐generation PFAS‐free water‐repellent textile coating solution is developed.

A Novel Method for Rapid and High-Performance SERS Substrate Fabrication by Combination of Cold Plasma and Laser Treatment

In this paper, we report a simple yet efficient method for rapid and high-performance SERS substrate fabrication by a combination of cold plasma and laser treatment. Our analysis reveals that cold plasma pre-treatment significantly reduced surface roughness, transforming 200 nm spikes into an almost perfectly uniform surface, while enhancing the substrate’s surface energy by lowering the water contact angle from 59° to 0°, all achieved within just 30 s of 0.9-mW plasma treatment, while 15-min green-laser treatment facilitated more uniform deposition of AuNPs across the entire treated area, effectively creating the SERS substrates. The combined treatments result in enhancement of the Raman intensity (11 times) and consistency over the whole area of the SERS substrates, and their reusability (up to 10 times). The fabricated SERS substrates exhibit a significant enhancement factor of approximately 3 × 10⁸ with R6G, allowing detection down to a concentration of 10−12 M. We demonstrate the application of these SERS substrates by detecting amoxicillin—an antibiotic used worldwide to treat a diversity of bacterial infections—in a dynamic expanded linear range of seven orders (from 10−3 to 10−9 M) with high reliability (R2 = 0.98), and a detection limit of 9 × 10−10 M. Our approach to high-performance SERS substrate fabrication holds potential for further expansion to other metallic NPs like Ag, or magnetic NPs (Fe3O4).

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) in the air and dust of new vehicle cabins: Concentrations, sources and contributions

Vehicles cabin represents unique indoor environment characterized by its limited space and multiple interior materials. For the first time, OPEs levels in vehicles and OPEs content in cabin materials were measured, and the material contributions were also analyzed. Between May and July in 2023, air, dust and materials samples were collected from 32 new vehicles. The detection rates were as high as 71%–100 % in dust and 100 % in selected cabin materials. The median of ∑OPEs in air-phase (both gas and particles) was significantly higher at 589.26 ng/m3 compared to those in other vehicle investigations. Material content analysis revealed that the top three were cushion textile, mat and lubricant, with ∑OPEs ranging from 85.94 μg/g to 1406.04 μg/g, which were three orders of magnitude higher than those in toys. Chlorinated forms such as TCIPP and TDCIPP were predominant among all air, dust and material samples analyzed. Particle-phase OPEs provided statistic diversity on manufactures and seat materials. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis found that the combination of cushion textile, seat leather, and carpet substrate textile contributed significantly, accounting for 68 % of cabin OPEs.

Characterization of Silver Conductive Ink Screen-Printed Textile Circuits: Effects of Substrate, Mesh Density, and Overprinting

This study explores the intricate interaction between the properties of textile substrates and screen-printing parameters in shaping fabric circuits using silver conductive ink. Via analyzing key variables such as fabric type, mesh density, and the number of overprinted layers, the research revealed how the porous structure, large surface area, and fiber morphology of textile substrates influence ink absorption, ultimately enhancing the electrical connectivity of the printed circuits. Notably, the hydrophilic cotton staple fibers fabric effectively absorbed the conductive ink into the fabric substrate, demonstrating superior electrical performance compared with the hydrophobic polyester filament fabric after three overprinting, unlike the results observed after a single print. As mesh density decreased and the number of prints increased, the electrical resistance of the circuit gradually reduced, but ink bleeding on the fabric surface became more pronounced. Cotton fabric, via absorbing the ink deeply, exhibited less surface bleeding, while polyester fabric showed more noticeable ink spreading. These findings provide valuable insights for improving screen printing technology for textile circuits and contribute to the development of advanced fabric circuits that enhance the functionality of smart wearable technology.

High-performance SERS substrate based on gold nanoparticles-decorated micro/nano-hybrid hierarchical structure

Owing to its excellent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) find extensive application in the preparation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. However, due to process limitations, the practicality and testing effectiveness of SERS substrates still leaves much to be desired. Here, a wafer-scale gold (Au) NPs silicon (Si) micro/nano-hybrid structured substrate is prepared. This is achieved through two-step etching, followed by decorating Au-NPs onto the structure via self-assembly process induced by de-wetting. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations reveal that the significant enhancement of local electric field in the voids between Au-NPs and Si is crucial for enhancing SERS. Using Rhodamine 6G (R6G) as the probe molecule, performance of the fabricated SERS substrate is investigated. It demonstrates a minimum detection limit of 10−11 M, with a calculated enhancement factor of 4.40 × 108, indicating its high sensitivity. The minimum relative standard deviation for the substrate is 5.254 %. After 20 days of placement, the SERS performance show tiny variation. Even after four cycles of cleaning experiments, it still maintains outstanding SERS performance. This demonstrates its excellent stability, uniformity and reusability. Our research provides guidance for the efficient and low-cost fabrication of high-performance SERS substrates.

Controlled Fabrication of Wafer-Scale, Flexible Ag-TiO2 Nanoparticle-Film Hybrid Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates for Sub-Micrometer Plastics Detection.

As an important trace molecular detection technique, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been extensively investigated, while the realization of simple, low-cost, and controllable fabrication of wafer-scale, flexible SERS-active substrates remains challenging. Here, we report a facile, low-cost strategy for fabricating wafer-scale SERS substrates based on Ag-TiO2 nanoparticle-film hybrids by combining dip-coating and UV light array photo-deposition. The results show that a centimeter-scale Ag nanoparticle (AgNP) film (~20 cm × 20 cm) could be uniformly photo-deposited on both non-flexible and flexible TiO2 substrates, with a relative standard deviation in particle size of only 5.63%. The large-scale AgNP/TiO2 hybrids working as SERS substrates show high sensitivity and good uniformity at both the micron and wafer levels, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy and Raman measurements. In situ bending and tensile experiments demonstrate that the as-prepared flexible AgNP/TiO2 SERS substrate is mechanically robust, exhibiting stable SERS activity even in a large bending state as well as after more than 200 tensile cycles. Moreover, the flexible AgNP/TiO2 SERS substrates show excellent performance in detecting sub-micrometer-sized plastics (≤1 μm) and low-concentration organic pollutants on complex surfaces. Overall, this study provides a simple path toward wafer-scale, flexible SERS substrate fabrication, which is a big step for practical applications of the SERS technique.

Exploring the dyeing potential of annatto dye on linen substrate: An inquiry into the effects of different mordants

AbstractThis study aimed to compare the dyeing capacity of annatto dye on linen textile substrates under the influence of different mordants, such as ferrous sulphate, alum, chitosan, and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDACl). Annatto dye was extracted in an alcoholic medium, and the concentrations of the dye compounds bixin and norbixin were determined using ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometry. Dyeing experiments were conducted with 10% and 20% weight of material (s.p.m.) concentrations, both on mordant‐treated substrates and on substrates pre‐bleached only. The colour evaluation indicated better colour yields for substrates pretreated with alum and PDDACl, with colour strength (K/S) values of 41.14 and 38.74, respectively, for dyeing with 20% s.p.m. However, these substrates exhibited the highest colour deviation (∆E) values in washing and lightfastness tests. The substrate pretreated with ferrous sulphate and the substrate pre‐bleached only showed K/S values of 25.99 and 18.68, respectively, with the ferrous sulphate‐treated substrate exhibiting the lowest ∆E values in washing and lightfastness tests among all evaluated substrates. Chitosan‐cationised samples showed the lowest colour yield, with a K/S of 12.51. Regarding washing and lightfastness, the pre‐bleached only substrate and the chitosan‐pretreated substrate displayed intermediate ∆𝐸 values. The dyeing kinetics of pre‐bleached substrates exhibited pseudo‐first‐order behaviour, while for ferrous sulphate‐pretreated samples, pseudo‐second‐order behaviour was observed. Langmuir's adsorption model was suitable for pre‐bleached substrate dyeing and ferrous sulphate‐pretreated sample dyeing in adsorption isotherms. However, for mordanted samples, higher adsorption intensity was observed.

Skin-inspired self-powered tactile sensing textile with high resistance to tensile interference

Tactile sensors that can mimic the sensory capabilities of human skin to perceive external static and dynamic pressure without tensile interference are essential in smart wearable electronics. Here, inspired by human skin, we report a highly stretchable and conformable self-powered tactile sensing textile capable of precisely sensing the pressure with no influence of the extension. The tactile sensing textile consists of an elastic fabric substrate and a triboelectric nanogenerator network with specific dimensionally stable triangular cross knots, providing the textile with prominent comprehensive performances (high tactile sensitivity, high stretching-insensitivity, high pressure resolution, long-time stability, and washability) superior to other reported stretching-insensitive tactile sensors. A pressure sensing system is developed based on the tactile sensing textile, which presents wide application for precise pressure detection in smart wearable conditions including athletics and healthcare facilities.

Greener analysis of eleven basic drugs in blood and urine using carbowax 20M based biofluid sampler (BFS) device

For the first time, a novel biofluid sampler (BFS) and sample preparation deviceis applied for the analysis of 11 basic drugs (i.e., pheniramine, chlorpheniramine, fluoxetine, tramadol, amitriptyline, ketamine, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, clozapine, chlorpromazine, dothiepin) in biological matrices (i.e., blood and urine). BFS utilizes advanced, highly effective sorbents derived from sol-gel sorbent coating technology onto cellulose fabric substrate, improving sample collection and retention. BFS has the capability to retain a biological sample from 10 to 1000 µL without requiring any dilution or pre-treatmentof the sample. The biological samples were pipetted onto the BFS device and dried at room temperature. Subsequently, adsorbed analytes were back-extracted into 1000 µL of methanol without requiring any imposed external diffusion process andthen analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) screening procedure was used to extensively screen and optimize several parameters, including sample volume, elution time, solvent volume, and solvent type. Under the optimal conditions of the study, the method was found to be linear within the range 0.1–10 µg mL−1 for both blood and urine. Quantification limits were established for blood samples within the range of 0.084 to 0.099 μg mL−1 and for urine samples within the range of 0.060 to 0.078 μg mL−1. The precisions within and between days were less than 7 % and 10 %, respectively. The target analytes showed good recoveries utilizing the recommended protocol, with ranges of 45.1 % − 103.4 %. Furthermore, the methodology has been effectively implemented in forensic toxicology case work. Moreover, the green characteristics and applicability of the suggested methodology was evaluated using softwares i.e., AGREE and BAGI.

Label-Free Exosome Analysis by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy with Laser-Ablated Silver Nanoparticle Substrate.

Early diagnostics of breast cancer is crucial to reduce the risk of cancer metastasis and late relapse. Exosome, which contains distinct information of its origin, can be the target object as a liquid biopsy. However, its low sensitivity and inadequate diagnostic tools interfere with the point-of-care testing (POCT) of the exosome. Recently, Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) spectroscopy, which amplifies the Raman scattering, has been proved as a promising tool for exosome detection. However, the fabrication process of SERS probe or substrate is still inefficient and far from large-scale production. This study proposes rapid and label-free detection of breast cancer-derived exosomes by statistical analysis of SERS spectra using silver-nanoparticle-based SERS substrate fabricated by selective laser ablation and melting (SLAM). Employing silver nanowires and optimizing laser process parameters enable rapid and low-energy fabrication of SERS substrate. The functionalities including sensitivity, reproducibility, stability, and renewability are evaluated using rhodamine 6G as a probe molecule. Then, the feasibility of POCT is examined by the statistical analysis of SERS spectra of exosomes from malignant breast cancer cells and non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells. The presented framework is anticipated to be utilized in other biomedical applications, facilitating cost-effective and large-scale production performance.

Eminent Red Sea water hydrogen generation via a Pb(ii)-iodide/poly(1H-pyrrole) nanocomposite photocathode

Abstract The development of a photocathode based on a Pb(ii)-iodide/poly(1H-pyrrole) porous spherical (PbI2/P1HP PS) nanocomposite has been successfully achieved in the efficient production of H2 gas from Red Sea water. The distinguishable spherical and porous shapes of these nanocomposites are characterized by a minimum surface measuring approximately 25 nm. This structural configuration, coupled with the nanocomposite’s substantial light absorbance, results in a modest bandgap of 2.4 eV. This turns the nanocomposite into a highly promising candidate for renewable energy applications, particularly for H2 gas generation from natural sources like Red Sea water. The economic viability of the PbI2/P1HP PS nanocomposite, relying on a glass substrate, mass production, and straightforward fabrication techniques, adds to its promising profile for H2 gas evolution. The photocathode exhibits significant potential for H2 gas production, with a notable current density (J ph) value of 1.0 mA·cm−2 in a three-electrode cell configuration. The IPCE reaches 3.1%, reflecting the successful evolution of 24 µmol·h−1 10 cm2 of the photocathode. Importantly, the use of natural Red Sea water as an electrolyte underscores a key feature for H2 gas production: utilizing freely available natural resources. This aspect holds considerable promise for industrial applications, emphasizing the environmentally sustainable nature of the photocathode.

Performance-tunable thermal barrier coating for carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composites via flame spraying

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are essential for improving the heat resistance of materials operating in high-temperature environments. This paper proposes a new method for manufacturing double-layered TBC with graded porosity for carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites. The TBC was created by a flame spraying process, consisting of relatively dense and porous layers: (1) a dense layer was produced by spraying yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles directly onto neat carbon fabric substrate and (2) a porous layer was prepared by co-spraying YSZ particles with sacrificial polyetheretherketone (PEEK) particles. The porosity of the porous layer was controlled by varying a PEEK injection distance (D) and a PEEK feed rate (R). The correlation between porosity and thermal conductivity of the TBC layer was investigated to assess its thermal barrier performance. The TBC fabricated with the D = 5 cm and the R = 1.0 g/min offered the optimal porosity and conductivity. The 640μm-thick TBC with 34% porosity and 0.27 W/m·K thermal conductivity protected the CFRP substrate remarkably under the subjected torch at 500°C, as the TBC layer reduced the surface temperature of CFRP to 230°C. Thermomechanical analysis, following thermal shock tests, revealed that the double-layered TBC/CFRP composite retained 87% and 75% of its pristine flexural strength and modulus, respectively, while the neat CFRP composite was completely burnt out. This study explored the application of flame spray technology to develop highly effective double-layered TBCs with tunable porosity to maximize their thermal barrier performances. All results from the current study provide new insights into the design and development of TBC and CFRP composites, which will benefit a wide range of lightweight high-temperature applications.

Novel screen-printed ceramic MEMS microhotplate for MOS sensors

We developed a new approach to the fabrication of MEMS substrates for MOS gas sensors. This full screen-printing process is based on the application of sacrificial material, which is solid at the near-room temperature of printing and turns to powder after the firing of the elements of the sensor. Therefore, this sacrificial material can be removed from under the suspended elements of the MEMS structure in ultrasonic bath. The glass-ceramic MEMS is a cantilever structure equipped with a Pt-based microheater made of Pt resistive material with sheet resistance of about 4 Ohm/square fabricated using core-shell technology. It is located at the end edge of the cantilever and is isolated from the contacts to the sensing layer by glass-ceramic insulation. Screen-printing provides cheap fabrication, robustness and low power (∼120 mW@450°C) of the sensing element. The functionality of the microhotplate was checked using ZnO nanomaterial deposited by microextruder, it demonstrated high response and selectivity of ZnO material to NO2 (response 41.6 at 200°C for 10 ppm).

Alkylated MXene-Carbon Nanotube/Microfiber Composite Material with Flexible, Superhydrophobic, and Sensing Properties.

Superhydrophobic strain sensors are highly promising for human motion and health monitoring in wet environments. However, the introduction of superhydrophobicity inevitably alters the mechanical and conductive properties of these sensors, affecting sensing performance and limiting behavior monitoring. Here, we developed an alkylated MXene-carbon nanotube/microfiber composite material (AMNCM) that is simultaneously flexible, superhydrophobic, and senses properties. Comprising a commercially available fabric substrate that is coated with a functional network of alkylated MXene/multi-walled carbon nanotubes and epoxy-silicone oligomers, the AMNCM offers high mechanical and chemical robustness, maintaining high conductivity and strain sensing properties. Furthermore, the AMNCM strain sensor achieves a gauge factor of up to 51.68 within a strain range of 80-100%, and exhibits rapid response times (125 ms) and long-term stability under cyclic stretching, while also displaying superior direct/indirect anti-fouling capabilities. These properties position the AMNCM as a promising candidate for next-generation wearable devices designed for advanced environmental interactions and human activity monitoring.

Construction of Patterned Cu2O Photonic Crystals on Textile Substrates for Environmental Dyeing with Excellent Antibacterial Properties.

Structural dyeing has attracted much attention due to its advantages such as environmental friendliness, vivid color, and resistance to fading. Herein, we propose an alternative strategy for fabric coloring based on Cu2O microspheres. The strong Mie scattering effect of Cu2O microspheres enables the creation of vibrant structural colors on fabric surfaces. These colors are visually striking and can potentially be adjusted by tuning the diameter of the microspheres. Importantly, the Cu2O spheres were firmly bonded to the fabrics by using the industrial adhesive PDMS, and the Cu2O structural color fabrics exhibited excellent color fastness to washing, rubbing, and bending. Cu2O structural color fabrics also demonstrated excellent antimicrobial properties against bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The bactericidal rates of Cu2O structural color textiles after washing for E. coli and S. aureus reached 92.40% and 94.53%, respectively. This innovative approach not only addresses environmental concerns associated with traditional dyeing processes but also enhances fabric properties by introducing vibrant structural colors and antimicrobial functionality.

Removal of Remazol Red Dyes Using Zeolites-Loaded Nanofibre Coated on Fabric Substrates

Nanofibre-based membranes have shown great potential for removing textile wastewater due to their high porosity and surface area. However, nanofibre membranes exhibit lower dye removal efficiency. Hence, this study aims to improve the dye removal performance of nanofibre membranes by incorporating zeolites. The research involved fabricating composite membranes by electrospinning polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibres incorporated with zeolites. Mechanical strength was enhanced by placing the PVA/zeolite nanofibre membrane between fusible nonwoven interfacing and woven polyester fabric, followed by heat treatment. Morphological analysis revealed the uniform dispersion of zeolite particles within the PVA nanofibres. EDX analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of zeolites into the fibres. Among all membrane samples, the PZ-0.75 membrane exhibited the highest pure water flux (PWF) with approximately 1358.57 L·m−2·min−1 for distilled water and 499.85 L·m−2·min−1 for batik wastewater. Turbidity of batik wastewater increased proportionally with zeolite concentration, with removal rates of 84.79%, 78.8%, 76.96%, and 74.19% for PZ-0.75, PZ-0.5, PZ-0.25, and PVA membranes, respectively. Furthermore, the UV/Vis spectrophotometer demonstrated that dye removal efficiency increased from 2.22% to 8.89% as the zeolite concentration increased from 0% to 0.75%. In addition, the PZ-0.75 membrane effectively removed RR dye at a concentration of 1 mg/L, with an optimal contact time of approximately 60 min. The adsorption mechanism of the PZ-0.75 membrane aligns with the Freundlich model, with an R2 value of 0.983. Overall, this study demonstrates the efficiency of zeolite in the fabric substrates to improve the filtration and adsorption properties for wastewater treatment, particularly in textile industries.