Antimicrobial performance of silver-copper-zeolite microparticles treated organic cotton fabric using versatile methods

Herein, the influence of the antimicrobial treatments of organic cotton fabrics (OCFs) using silver-copper-zeolite microparticles (hereafter referred to as ‘zeolite’) was investigated. There were six different methods applied to six different types of OCFs. The antimicrobial performances demonstrate around 95.33% and 93.88% reduction of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria after 30 times home laundry, respectively. The color stability yield by the surface plasmon resonance mates the commercial requirement in items of colorfastness ratings of 3-4 for wash, 4 for light, 4-5 for dry rubbing, and 3-4 for wet rubbing. These findings established that this treatment successfully endowed OCFs with long-lasting antimicrobial capabilities and thermal stability due to the interaction with the microparticles. The phenomenon was further confirmed by morphological, spectroscopical, and thermal characterization. This approach of OCFs functionalization avoiding hazardous chemicals could be a benchmark for antimicrobial performances in sustainable industrial applications.