Bioinspired, metal-free modification of cotton fabric using polydopamine-coated curcumin for health-protective clothing

Living in the modern world poses threats to human health, ranging from immediate risks like exposure to viruses (such as novel coronavirus), bacteria, ultraviolet radiation, and free radicals, to long-term challenges associated with living in a chemically polluted and unprotected environment. Therefore, it is essential to develop novel protective clothing materials that prioritize human well-being and environmentally friendly production processes. This paper proposes using a safe, multifunctional, bioinspired, and plant-based coating material to enhance natural cotton fabrics. By incorporating polydopamine-coated curcumin structures (PDA@Cur), this study aims to provide protective clothing materials with antiviral, antibacterial, sunlight-protective, and antioxidant characteristics while minimizing environmental harm. The resulting modified cotton samples demonstrate 95.02