One-step UV-induced modification of cellulose fabrics by polypyrrole/silver nanocomposite films

Cellulose fabrics were coated with polypyrrole–silver (PPy/Ag) nanocomposite films via one pot photopolymerization in aqueous media. This process was optimized for various concentrations of pyrrole/textile weight ratios with fixed molar ratio of [pyrrole]/[AgNO3] as 2.5. Simple weight measurements of the fabrics indicated progressive coating of PPy/Ag versus initial pyrrole/fabric weight ratio and photopolymerization time. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data confirm the nano-size (10–30 nm) and metallic state of Ag crystallites. The metallic state of silver particles was also confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We demonstrate that UV-induced polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of AgNO3 is simple and fast compared to chemical oxidative polymerization in the absence of UV light. More importantly, it permits to coat cellulose fabrics in one pot by polypyrrole/Ag nanocomposites films in environmentally friendly aqueous solutions at room temperature.

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► First ever report of PPy/Ag nanocomposite coating on cellulose fabrics by photopolymerization.
► The one pot route is simple, fast, environment friendly and can be employed for commercial applications.
► Anchored Ag particles were imaged by SEM, and their metallic state was confirmed by XPS and XRD.
► The polypyrrole/silver nanocomposite coatings are highly conducting.