Investigation of the antimicrobial and wound healing properties of silver nanoparticle-loaded cotton prepared using silver carbamate

In this paper, silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-coated cotton wool with sustained antibacterial properties was produced using a convenient solution-dipping method that involves soaking the cotton in a silver 2-ethylhexylcarbamate solution, followed by thermal reduction at 120℃. The silver-coated cotton was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction patterns. AgNPs with a uniform and high deposition density formed on the surface of the cotton and ranged in size from 20 to 80 nm. The antibacterial activity, blood clotting, and other physical properties, such as saline absorption and ultraviolet (UV)-blocking of Ag/cotton wool with different silver content were examined. All Ag/cotton fabrics exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. AgNP-loaded cotton demonstrated faster blood clotting rates and better absorption of 0.9% (w/v) saline solution than unmodified cotton. In addition, AgNP-loaded cotton showed excellent UV protection properties.