TAGS: Smart Coatings
Researchers at IIT(ISM) Dhanbad have developed a method to prepare a facile and durable superhydrophobic coating of silver nanoparticles on the surface of cloth. This procedure uses an in-situ UV irradiation method followed by its modification with the perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane.
Coated Cloth with Self-cleaning and Stain Resistant Properties
At lab-scale, this coating is found to have excellent chemical and thermal stability making it reusable multiple times even after repeated washing. The coated cloth exhibits exceptional self-cleaning and stain resistant properties leading to complete non-adherence of dirt, liquid droplets and stain (for example, food, rust, ink, etc.) on the cloth surface.
Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties of the coated cloth were confirmed by carrying out E. coli (bacteria) and A. niger (fungus) culture studies, respectively. This coating is imbibed with silver nanoparticles, which is a proven anti-viral agent. It inhibits the attachment of the virus on the surface of the cell itself. When microbes come in contact with the coated cloth, they are repelled by the superhydrophobic nature of the coating. If they somehow touched the cloth surface, they get killed by Ag+ (silver) ions present in the coating. Ag+ ions strongly inhibit microbial growth through suppression of the respiratory enzymes and electron transport components and interference with the DNA functions.
Since silver is also nontoxic in nature to humans at very low concentrations, the silver nano-particle coating becomes human friendly. The superhydrophobic nature of the coating combined with the anti-viral agent silver, makes it a potential anti-COVID-19 coating. Currently we are at the final stage of testing the coated cloth for its anti-viral property, specifically for COVID-19. After upscaling of this technology at IIT(ISM) Dhanbad, this coated cloth can be commercialized for public use.
Source: IIT(ISM) Dhanbad