Publication
During the last few years the development of innovative textiles with added value has become a focus of interest in the textile industry. The use of TiO2 and TiO2/SiO2 in the form of semiconductor colloids or/and powders or a combination of both leads to partial or total stain removal in the case of natural and artificial textiles. The introduction of additional binding sites and functionalities by RF-plasma and UVC on the textile surface by pretreating in vacuum and up to atmospheric pressure is shown to be favourable for the bonding of metals and semiconductors on the textile surface. Results obtained in our laboratory and other laboratories are described brieflyly. The modification of textiles by Ag and Cu to introduce bacterial inactivation and bactericide properties on fabrics is an active area of research leading to promising results in the abatement of E. coli and airborne bacteria on textile surfaces. Ag will be shown unambiguously to act through specific Ag-ions leading to E. coli inactivation on textile surfaces like cotton. Cu/CuO is a bactericide agent in the dark through redox reactions occurring with bacteria, leading slowly to bacterial oxidation. Under visible light the bacterial inactivation kinetics of E. coli is accelerated due to the semiconductor character of CuO.