Slightly carbomethylated cotton supported TiO2 nanoparticles as self-cleaning fabrics

• Cotton surface was slightly modified with carboxylic acid groups via carboxymethylation.
• Surface modified cotton was grafted with photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles.
• TiO2 nanoparticles grafted cotton fabric was analyzed using imaging and spectroscopic methods.
• Loading of TiO2 nanoparticles was analyzed and stain degradation ability of the different systems were compared.

Effect of different levels of slight carboxymethylation of cotton cellulose was investigated for improved attachment of photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles on cotton fabrics using sodium monochloroacetate under an alkali condition. Surface modification was confirmed by FTIR using two characteristic peaks located at 1734 and 1594 cm−1 which occur due to presence of carboxylic and carboxylate functionality on modified cotton fabrics. These fabrics were then grafted with TiO2 nanoparticles (Aeroxide©P25) using a special apparatus to obtain self-cleaning fabrics. Morphology of the treated samples was characterized by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy which showed uniform coating of TiO2 nanoparticles on surface modified fabrics. Crystallinity of the coatings was evaluated using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated for methyl orange as a model stain under UV-A and B exposure (200 W/m2) using a spectrophotometer. Results indicated that the number of surface carboxylic acid groups increase with the increase of concentration of sodium monochloroacetate used in surface modification reaction. Higher degree of surface modification increased the loading of TiO2 nanoparticles on cotton fabrics and hence the degree of photocataltic stain removal activity.

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