Facile preparation and characterization of a nanofiber-coated textile with durable and rechargeable antibacterial activity

Abstract

Antibacterial textiles can be used to protect human beings from harmful bacteria. Herein, a facile method was used to prepare a durable and rechargeable antibacterial cotton textile, with no organic solvent or heat. The nanofiber-coated cotton textile was obtained by spraying, followed by immersion in PEI solution and CuSO₄ solution to obtain the final rechargeable antibacterial properties. This process is suitable for industrial production. The textile structure was characterized by SEM and XPS, and its antibacterial ability was evaluated by the cell count method. The cotton textile showed high and durable antibacterial activity, which can be recharged by chelating Cu²⁺. The nanofiber coating on the surface of the textile has nanoscaled pore sizes, which enable the textile to efficiently block bacteria since the direct contact between pathogens and users is cut off by the antibacterial textile. Excellent antibacterial activity and shielding efficiency against bacteria allow the textile to protect the users from direct and indirect contact with pathogens, preventing the spread of bacteria via the textile. The facile preparation method also provides a universal reference for preparing other antibacterial textiles such as wool, flax, and nylon.