Antimicrobial performance of silver–copper–zeolite microparticle-treated organic cotton fabric using versatile methods

Abstract

Herein, the influence of the antimicrobial treatments of organic cotton fabrics (OCFs) using silver–copper–zeolite microparticles (hereafter referred to as ‘zeolite’) was investigated. There were six different methods applied to six different types of OCFs. The antimicrobial performance demonstrates around 95.33 and 93.88% reductions in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria after 30 times home laundry, respectively. The surface plasmon resonance of color stability meets the commercial requirements with colorfastness ratings of 3–4 for wash, 4 for light, 4–5 for dry rubbing and 3–4 for wet rubbing. These findings established that this treatment successfully endowed OCFs with long-lasting antimicrobial capabilities and thermal stability due to the interaction with the microparticles. The phenomenon was further confirmed by morphological, spectroscopic and thermal characterization. This approach of OCF functionalization avoiding hazardous chemicals could be a benchmark for antimicrobial performance in sustainable industrial applications.