Eco-friendly medical textiles: bamboo fabric functionalized with microencapsulated essential oil

Abstract

This study investigated the antibacterial properties of bamboo fabric embedded with microcapsules containing essential oils (EOs) such as citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, and aloe vera. The Box-Behnken design was used to prepare different EO combinations in a microcapsule form. IC₅₀ values were measured to assess the antibacterial activity of the liquid samples against various bacteria, with most samples exhibiting 90% to 100% inhibition against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Five selected EO-blended microcapsules were incorporated into the woven fabric using dip coating. Capsule size and morphology were verified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM) images. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were employed to analyse the functional groups and elemental composition. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed to examine the elemental composition and microstructure of the encapsulated fabrics. Fabric samples B5 and B8 demonstrated notable antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. The enhanced antibacterial performance can be attributed to high concentrations of microencapsulated essential oils. Moreover, a significant mosquito-repellent effect was observed, with only slightly diminished efficiency after washing compared to the untreated sample. These samples also revealed good antioxidant activity. The air permeability, bending length, and crease recovery of samples B1 and B13 were significantly better than those of the other samples. The Higuchi model showed that the samples exhibit high drug release efficiency in the ethanol–water system. Overall, this study highlights the potential of microencapsulated bamboo textiles with enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant properties, offering promising applications in bamboo fabrics that exhibit bio-functional enhancements, including superior moisture-wicking and sweat-absorbing properties, along with effective retention of essential oils.