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. 2023 Apr 10:1-15.
doi: 10.1007/s11998-023-00761-y. Online ahead of print.

Multifunctional cotton fabrics with novel antibacterial coatings based on chitosan nanocapsules and polyacrylate

Daniel J da Silva  1 , Rafaela R Ferreira  1 , Greiciele da S Ferreira  1 , Rennan F S Barbosa  1 , Jéssica S Marciano  1 , Paulo H Camani  1 , Alana G Souza  1 , Derval S Rosa  1
Affiliations

Multifunctional cotton fabrics with novel antibacterial coatings based on chitosan nanocapsules and polyacrylate

Daniel J da Silva et al. J Coat Technol Res. .

Abstract

Chitosan is a cationic polysaccharide with intrinsic antimicrobial properties that can be used as an ecological alternative to develop functional materials to inhibit the proliferation of microorganisms. This work evaluates chitosan nanocapsules (CNs) as a self-disinfecting agent to provide bactericidal activity on cotton fabrics (CF), using polyacrylate to bind the CNs on the CF surface. The fabrics were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle (CA), moisture retention, and antimicrobial tests against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The FTIR results showed new peaks related to chitosan structure, indicating the adequate fixation of the CNs on the cotton fibers. SEM images corroborated the polyacrylate binder's efficient adhesion, connecting the CNs and the cotton fiber surface. The CF surface properties were considerably modified, while CN/polyacrylate coating promoted antibacterial activity against the B. subtilis (gram-positive bacteria) for the developed wipe, but they do not display bactericidal effects against E. coli (gram-negative bacteria).

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11998-023-00761-y.

Keywords: Antimicrobial; Chitosan; Cotton; Multifunctional fabrics; Natural fibers.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic representation of the adopted methodology. Chitosan/polyacrylate cotton fabrics were named PC-X, where X corresponds to the emulsion content of CN applied in liquor
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
(a) Ester (–OCO–) and amide (–NHCO–) bonds between chitosan nanocapsules (CN) and polyacrylate in the binder due to aminolysis (blue bar), condensation (green bar), transesterification (orange bar), and esterification (yellow bar). The binder fixes on the cotton fibers’ surface also due to the reactions of hydroxyl (OH) groups on cellulose chains with ester and carboxylic acids on polyacrylate. These reactions also lead to the formation of (b) CN/binder aggregates, and (c) a binder film on the cotton fiber’s surface with nanocapsules trapped inside (CN/polyacrylate coating)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
XPS spectra in the C1s, O1s, and N1s binding energy regions from pristine cotton fabric (a), polyacrylate binder (b), and CN/polyacrylate-cotton PC-8 sample (c)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
FTIR spectra of pristine cotton (PC) and PC-X, where X corresponds to the chitosan nanocapsules content. (a) Full spectra and (b) zoom in the region 1750–1200 cm−1. Gauss fitting curves of the spectra in the 2850 and 2900 cm−1 peaks of the samples: (c) PC, (d) PC-1, (e) PC-2, (f) PC-4, and (g) PC-8
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
SEM micrographs of cotton fabrics before and after they had been treated with different contents of chitosan nanocapsule: (a) untreated, (b) PC-1, (c) PC-2, (d) PC-4, and (e) PC-8. The corresponding right-hand micrographs were taken at higher magnification. PC-X, where X corresponds to the chitosan nanocapsule content
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Contact angle measurement on a drop and after 30 s of pristine cotton (PC) and PC-X, where X corresponds to the chitosan nanocapsule content
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Bacterial counting and antimicrobial activity of uncoated cotton fabric (PC) and PC-X samples (X corresponds to the CN content) after 24 h of direct contact with the bacterial medium: (a, c) B. subtilis and (b, d) E. coli. The values are presented as mean ± standard deviation. *Samples are statistically different, considering a confidence level of 95%. ns = samples are not statistically different, considering a confidence level of 95%
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