Superhydrophobic antibacterial cotton textiles

We present a facile and effective method to prepare superhydrophobic cotton textiles. Silver particles were produced on cotton fibers by treatment with aqueous KOH and AgNO3, followed by reduction treatment with ascorbic acid in the presence of a polymeric steric stabilizer to generate a dual-size surface roughness. Further modification of the particle-containing cotton textiles with octyltriethoxysilane led to hydrophobic surfaces. Surfaces prepared showed a sticky property, which exhibits a static water contact angle of 151° for a 10 μL droplet that water drop did not slid off even when the sample was held upside down. The modified cotton has potent antibacterial activity toward both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The Ag particles were uniformly and stably distributed on the substrate surface and killed bacteria. These modified cotton textiles are potentially useful; as superhydrophobic antibacterial fabrics in a wide variety of biomedical and general use applications.

SEM images of silver particle-covered KOH-treated cotton fiber after OTES modification. The image on the right is higher-magnification.Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (112 K)Download as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights
► Superhydrophobic cotton textiles using silver particles.
► Surfaces prepared showed a sticky property.
► The modified cotton has potent antibacterial activity toward both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.