Physicochemical and antibacterial properties of cotton fabric treated with chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles and lauric acid

Abstract

Today, antibacterial treatment has become a prerequisite for textile goods used in hospitals, hotels, sports and personal care industries. Cotton is one of the most important natural fibers that is used extensively in textile industry. In this work, properties of cotton fabric treated with chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (CNPs) and lauric acid (LA) was studied. CNPs were prepared based on the ionic gelation of chitosan with tripolyphosphate anions. The pretreatment process of cotton fabric was performed using sodium hydroxide. Afterwards, the CNPs solution with the addition of LA was applied to the treated cotton fabric to give wider antibacterial effects. The physicochemical properties of the CNPs and treated cotton fabric were determined by size distribution, Fourier transform infrared analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis. The average size of CNPs obtained was 179.1 ± 82.45 nm at concentration of 0.1% chitosan (w/v). The morphology surface of CNPs revealed the particles were spherical and almost uniform. CNPs solution with the addition of 15% (w/v) LA was formulated to treat the cotton fabric by soaking the cotton fabric in the solution while stirring for two hours at 60 °C. The antibacterial activity of treated cotton fabric with CNPs and LA against Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria) was evaluated by using agar diffusion and liquid culture test methods. Cotton fabric treated with CNPs and LA showed a good ability to inhibit bacteria reproduction with diameter of zone of inhibition of 2.03±0.09 cm for Escherichia coli and 2.27±0.07 cm for Bacillus subtilis. Results showed that CNPs incorporated with LA gave better inhibition toward tested bacteria compared to CNPs solely, with differences as much as 30% for Gram-negative bacteria and 71% for Gram-positive bacteria.