Industrially Compatible Manufacturing Process of Wash-Durable Antimicrobial Textiles by using Cuprous Oxide-Polymer Composites

Abstract

Developing textiles with antibacterial and antiviral properties and excellent wash resistance can be a promising approach to fighting against multidrug-resistant bacteria, influenza virus, and SARS-CoV-2, which are the major causes of nosocomial infections. We developed an innovative method to dope cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu2O NPs) possessing antimicrobial property into raw materials of fibers, thus preparing Cu2O NP-embedded masterbatches and then textiles. The textiles fabricated using Cu2O NP-embedded masterbatches exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans, and the antimicrobial activity was observed even after 50 washes. Cu2O NP-embedded textiles can effectively inhibit the growth of SARS-CoV-2 and improve the efficacy of medical treatment. Our approach overcomes the drawback of current techniques used to postprocess Cu2O NP-related antimicrobial agents for textiles, including spray coating. In addition, Cu2O NPs can be embedded into various raw materials of fabrics, such as polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, by using the developed technique. The developed approach can be readily commercialized.