Decoration of wool fibers with mono or bimetallic nanoparticles for use in versatile applications

• Published in: Journal of molecular liquids 2023-10, Vol.387, p.122603, Article 122603
• Main Authors: Rehan, Mohamed, Mashaly, Hamada M., Montaser, A.S., Abdelhameed, Reda M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimicrobial activity; Antistatic property; Fuel purification; In-situ mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles; Natural dyeing; Ultraviolet protection; Wool fibers
• ISSN: 0167-7322; 1873-3166
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.122603

[Display omitted] •Multi-functionalization of wool fibers was achieved through eco-friendly in-situ synthesis of mono/bimetallic nanoparticles.•The proteins found in wool fiber are capable of facilitating the reduction of metal to nanoparticulate,•The mono/bimetallic nanoparticles treated wool fibers exhibit good color fastness, antimicrobial and UV protection.•Wool fibers@ mono or bimetallic nanoparticles have a good adsorption potential for phenol. Wool fibers with multifunctional properties are highly in demand for use in different applications. The chemicals used to impart multifunctional properties to wool fibers are environmentally harmful and necessitate multi-step processing to achieve them. In order to endow and improve the effectiveness of the various properties of wool fibers, the current work offers evidence to support the viability of using a quick, efficient, and eco-friendly one-pot approach instead of a multi-step process. This approach enables wool fibers' prospective ability to be used in a wide range of applications, including domestic, industrial, and environmental applications. This approach focused on the facile simultaneous synthesis and immobilization of mono- or bimetallic nanoparticles on the wool fiber surface using the proteins present in the wool fibers as a reducing agent, to reduce metal ions to metal nanoparticles, with simultaneous binding of the formed nanoparticles on the wool fibers surface. First, the wool fibers are added to individual metal salt solutions comprising Ag+, Cu2+, or Fe3+ ions or to mixed metal salt solutions that comprise Ag+/Cu2+, Ag+/Fe3+, and Cu2+/Fe3+ ions. Under the influence of moisture and heat, the proteins (sulfur-containing amino acids (Cysteine)) acted as reduction agents to change the metal ions that have adsorbed on the wool fibers' surface into zero-valent atoms with simultaneous binding on the wool fibers' surface. The nanoparticles-immobilized wool fibers were characterized using SEM, EDX, and FTIR. To investigate the effect of metal nanoparticles on the dyeing process, wool fibers treated with monometallic nanoparticles were subsequently dyed with natural dye (cochineal dye). The results showed that the presence of mono- or bimetallic nanoparticles within the wool fiber surface imparts multifunctional properties to wool fibers. The mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles endowed the wool fiber with different colors depending on the type of metal. The monometallic nanoparticles immobilized on