Preparation and Characterization of Cotton Fibers Coated with AA-IA Hydrogel Containing Silver/graphene or Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles

This study presents the fabrication and characterization of cotton textile fibers coated with hydrogels containing silver and Graphene or Graphene Oxide nanoparticles using 1-hexyl-3-methyl-imidazolium (HMIMPF6) ionic liquid (IL) as carbon filler dispersant. Acrylic acid/Itaconic acid (AA-IA) hydrogels are synthesized by polymerizing an acrylic acid-itaconic acid aqueous (80/20 v/v) solution and mixed with 2-2-Azobis (2-methylpropionamide) diclorohydrate, and N,N'-methylenbis (acrylamide). Then silver nanoparticles are generated throughout the hydrogel networks using in situ method by incorporating the silver ions and subsequent reduction with sodium borohydride. Then a cotton textile fiber substrate was coated with this hydrogel. Finally, graphene or graphene oxide was added to the textile substrate already impregnated with hydrogel and silver nanoparticles. In order to favor the dispersion of the carbon nano-structures in the system, an IL was used. The influence of these nanocomposite hydrogels on the properties of textile fiber were investigated by infrared spectroscopy (ATR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP) and antibacterial tests against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) and Escherichia coil (Gram negative). The effect of each and combined fillers dispersion on antimicrobial properties were determined. Cotton fibers coated with hydrogel containing silver nanoparticles and graphene showed better results when the ionic liquid was used. Graphene showed greater antimicrobial efficiency than graphene oxide. It was proved that the textiles coated with hydrogels containing these fillers had an excellent antibacterial ability and are a good option to be used for medical applications such as wounds and burns dressing. [GRAPHICS] .