Coating of ZnO Nanoparticle on Cotton Fabric to Create a Functional Textile with Enhanced Mechanical Properties

The goal of this research is to develop a functional textile with better mechanical properties. Therefore, nano ZnO is synthesized, characterized, and applied to cotton fabric by mechanical thermo-fixation techniques. The synthesized nanoparticles are characterized by SEM and XRD analysis. The ZnO nanoparticle alone, ZnO nanoparticle with a binder, and ZnO with a binder and wax emulsion are then applied on cotton woven fabrics using three different recipes. The surface morphology of the treated fabric is studied using SEM and EDS. Antimicrobial activity, UV protection property, and crease resistance are all tested for their functional characteristics. In addition, all vital mechanical characteristics are assessed. The results suggest that using only nano ZnO or nano ZnO with a binder enhances functional features while deteriorating mechanical capabilities. Nano ZnO treatment with the third recipe, which includes the addition of an emulsion, on the other hand, significantly enhances mechanical and functional characteristics. Consequently, this study provides information to optimize the confidence of textile researchers and producers in using nano ZnO and understanding its features in key functional fabrics.

Fabrication of montmorillonite nanoclay-loaded electrospun nanofibrous mats for UV protection

In this study, the layered nanoclay was employed to impart ultraviolet (UV) protection functionality for electrospinning thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofibrous mats. This study is among the very rare studies which uses Montmorillonite (MMT) clay for UV protection. Due to its known UV protection property, titanium dioxide (TiO2) was used solely for comparison with MMT clay and as a blend with MMT for investigation of its synergetic effect with nanoclay. The morphology and chemical structure of virgin and nanoclay-loaded nanofibers were characterized via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Incorporation of TiO2 significantly improved UV protection performance of TPU electrospun nanofibers, as expected. UV protection factor (UPF) of electrospun mats including nanoclay was found as high as that of the ones including TiO2.Therefore, the study revealed that the clay has a considerable potential for producing nanofibrous layers with UV protection. Such a nanocomposite structure could be potentially employed as a layer in a multilayered technical textile such as tents, sun protective covers for automobiles, blind curtains, etc. This study proposed an eco-friendly and viable alternative to TiO2 which is a well-known material for its UV protection.

Corrosion Inhibition of 3003 Aluminum Alloy in Molar Hydrochloric Acid Solution by Olive Oil Mill Liquid By-Product

According to the literature, the works on the inhibition of aluminum alloy corrosion using naturally occurring compounds are limited. For this, the inhibiting effect of oil mill liquid by-product (OMW) on the corrosion of 3003 aluminum alloy (AA3003) in molar hydrochloric acid solution was evaluated using electrochemical techniques. In parallel, a computational approach based on DFT/B3LYP and Monte Carlo methods was used to understand the inhibition process under electronic and atomic scales, respectively. The experimental results reveal that OMW has a good inhibiting effect on the corrosion of AA3003 alloy in the tested solution and acts as a cathodic inhibitor. The inhibitory efficiency increases by increasing OMW concentration to attain 89% at 6.0 ppm. The effect of temperature shows that the inhibition efficiency of OMW decreases with temperature rising. Nevertheless, a good prevention capacity of 83% is obtained at 338 K. Such interesting achieved protection property was attributed to the adsorption of OMW constituents onto the alloy surface via a mixed physichemisorption process. This process is found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Furthermore, the activation thermodynamic parameters of the corrosion process of AA3003 alloy were also determined and discussed. The computational outcomes outlined the ability of the OMW components to interact favorably with the metal surface, hence the formation of a protective layer, which justified the observed inhibition behaviors. Conferring to the present study, OMW can be used as a good green corrosion inhibitor for AA3003 alloy in the acidic medium.

Strong UV-Protection Property from Living Diatom Exoskeleton Modified by Eu3+-Complex

In this article, a natural biological porous material, from living diatoms, is used to prepare new UV-protection hybrid materials with Eu3+-complexes. By removing the organic protoplasm of living diatoms, the...

Nano-bio finishing of cotton fabric with chitosan nano-hydrogels containing Rhus coriaria (L)

The goal of this paper was to study some chemical and physical effects of chitosan nano-hydrogels containing Rhus coriaria on cotton fabric. The finished fabrics showed antimicrobial effects against two pathogenic microorganisms, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and the particle size, as well as the effect of encapsulating sumac extract in chitosan nano-hydrogel on some physical and visual characteristics of fabrics, are then confirmed by using various methods, including antimicrobial testing, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The encapsulation efficiency and release behavior of the samples are also studied. The as-prepared samples with higher sumac content have more ultraviolet (UV) absorbing activity (about 52%) than the un-treated sample, as well as excellent washing fastness and antimicrobial properties after five washing cycles. More specifically, these methods indicated negligible changes in color and thickness of treated cotton fabrics. Finally, the application of cotton fabric along with the synthesis of chitosan nano-hydrogel and sumac loading introduced a novel cotton fabric with high antimicrobial properties, washing fastness and UV protection property.