Silver loading on poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics using silver carbamate via thermal reduction

• Published in: Macromolecular research 2015, 23(6), , pp.509-517
• Main Authors: Kwak, Wan-Gyu, Oh, Man Hwan, Son, Seung-Yeol, Gong, Myoung-Seon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Soft and Granular Matter; 고분자공학
• ISSN: 1598-5032; 2092-7673
• DOI: 10.1007/s13233-015-3069-2

Silver-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics were prepared through the deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) generated from thermal reduction of silver 2-ethylhexylcarbamate. The PET fabrics modified with 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, which acts as an anchor for the AgNPs, were padded with a solution of silver 2-ethylhexylcarbamate in methanol, and were then reduced for in situ generation of Ag-NPs only by heating at 130 °C. The PET/Ag fabrics were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and water contact angle analysis, and by measuring the electrical conductivity and antibacterial activity. A continuous layer of AgNPs with a size from 30 to 100 nm was assembled on the PET fabrics. The PET/Ag imparts high conductivity to the textiles with an electric resistance as low as 3.44±0.12 Ω, and the antibacterial effects of the treated PET fabric against Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43889) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) were examined and were found to be excellent.