Hydrophobic, Breathable and Antibacterial Medical Textiles: Development and Potential Applications

Nofal, Reem M

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2023.231703.8497

Hydrophobic, Breathable and Antibacterial Medical Textiles: Development and Potential Applications

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Reem M Nofal

Faculty of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain shams university. Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/ejchem.2023.231703.8497

Abstract

During the Corona pandemic until EG 5.2 appearance, the importance of medical textiles is emerged, as the WHO recommended wearing facemasks to protect both patients and the medical team from virus transmission. The mostly used facemasks are disposable nonwoven. So, the need to produce reusable, washable, and breathable facemask for daily use is emerged.

The present work focus on producing breathable and comfortable cloth masks to reduce risk of spreading infections. Also, the work focus in producing protective surgical and isolation gowns and medical sheets treated with different concentrations of SiO2 and/or CS NPs particles. To impart medical fabrics resistance to stains and fluids and in the same time breathable and antibacterial.

Breathability and air permeability are examined to clarify the breathing comfort during wearing facemasks. Different facemask layers number, materials and structures are examined. Facemask outermost layer treated with safe Fluro-Carbon resin. Gowns Super hydrophobicity has been characterized by measuring water contact angle before and after treatment with SiO2 concentrations (1.5, 2, 3 % wt.). The antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles treated fabrics has been measured by quantitative method. Water contact angle, wash fastness, EDX and SEM were also determined to evaluate medical gowns and sheets fabrics.

The results clarify that breathability value ˂ 40 Pa/Cm2 is achieved by face masks no. 2, 11 and 12 respectively, accompanied by hydrophobic outermost layer. Consequently, it is recommended to be worn by patients to reduce risk of spreading infections the gowns fabric retains super hydrophobicity even after 25 industrial washing cycles and achieves high antibacterial protection rates against both S. aureus and E. Coli, so it can be used by health care professions.

Keywords