Preparation and characterization studies of modified cellulosic textile fabric composite with in situ-generated AgNPs coating

The growing interest of green technology concept in the field of biomedical application provides the thrust for the development of eco-friendly materials. Accordingly, the eco-friendly nanocomposites were prepared using in situ-generated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in cotton fabrics with various concentrations of aq. AgNO ₃ solutions (1–5 mM). All these nanocomposites were developed using Cassia alata leaf extract as a reducing agent through simple immersion process. The resulting nanocomposite cotton fabrics (NCFs) were characterized by SEM, EDX, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and antibacterial activity tests. During and after the generation of AgNPs, the colour of the matrix changed from light brown to dark brown visually indicating the formation of NCFs. The SEM images and EDX spectra revealed the generation of spherical AgNPs in the size range of 20 nm to 119 nm. The X-ray analysis further confirmed the presence of AgNPs in the NCFs under study. These NCFs exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli bacteria. Further, the NCFs under study also inhibited the growth of bacteria in sewerage water. Based on the antimicrobial activity results, these NCFs can be considered for wound dressing and for biomedical applications.