A Simple Drop-and-Dry Approach to Grass-Like Multifunctional Nanocoating on Flexible Cotton Fabrics Using In Situ-Generated Coating Solution Comprising Titanium-Oxo Clusters and Silver Nanoparticles

Ning Li; Dicky Pranantyo; En-Tang Kang; Dominic S Wright; He-Kuan Luo

doi:10.1021/acsami.9b22768

A Simple Drop-and-Dry Approach to Grass-Like Multifunctional Nanocoating on Flexible Cotton Fabrics Using In Situ-Generated Coating Solution Comprising Titanium-Oxo Clusters and Silver Nanoparticles

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2020 Mar 11;12(10):12093-12100. doi: 10.1021/acsami.9b22768. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

Authors

Ning Li^{1

2}, Dicky Pranantyo³, En-Tang Kang³, Dominic S Wright², He-Kuan Luo¹

Affiliations

¹ Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 2 Fusionopolis Way, #08-03, Innovis, 138634, Singapore.
² Chemistry Department, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
³ Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, 119260, Singapore.

PMID: 32057229
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b22768

Abstract

Multifunctional nanocoatings have been of central importance in various technological fields, yet their fabrication, especially on flexible substrates, still remains a persistent challenge to date. We herein demonstrate a mild single-step drop-and-dry approach to the in situ growth of hierarchical grass-like nanostructures on flexible cotton fabrics. A precursor solution comprising titanium-oxo clusters [Ti₁₈MnO₃₀(OEt)₂₀(MnPhen)₃] (Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) and AgNO₃ is employed wherein Ag⁺ cations are in situ-reduced to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Drop-casting onto cotton fabrics under mild conditions induces the in situ growth of the heterogeneous grass-like assembly, and each constituent nanofibrous 'grass leaf' incorporates AgNPs both on the surface and embedded in the interior. The hierarchical morphology and heterogeneous composition of these grass-like nanostructures impart the coated cotton fabrics with enhanced antibacterial properties, robust hydrophobicity, and UV-blocking capability, which are features desired in textile materials but lacking in natural cotton.

Keywords: in situ; multifunctional coating; nanomaterial; silver nanoparticle; titanium-oxo cluster.