Eco-friendly activation of cotton textiles with LiNbO3 nanoparticles for enhanced self-cleaning and antibacterial performance

Cotton textiles play a universal role in everyday life, but they are prone to stain and serve as a primary channel for transmitting viruses and bacteria. The photocatalytic/antibacterial coatings are highly effective in addressing bacterial contamination on fabrics, although their efficacy diminishes with continuous use and washing. Here, insights are provided into the attachment of LiNbO3 3 on cotton surfaces using eco-friendly chemical activators to promote resistance to washing cycles, self-cleaning, and bactericide textiles. LiNbO3 3 nanoparticles were synthesized by low-temperature hydrothermal synthesis and directly applied to cotton fabric using immersion. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) N2 2 adsorption, diffuse reflectance for band gap determination, and Raman spectroscopy. A simple and effective impregnation method was used, promoting an ester-bond attachment between the cotton surface and the activators. Microscopy analysis (SEM) confirmed the successful deposition of the nanoparticles on cotton fabric. The LiNbO3 3 coating consisted of transparent layers and did not change the properties of cotton. Methylene blue stains are generally eliminated under UV light after 2 h using nanoparticles and activators. Antibacterial properties were evaluated under visible light through direct contact with bacterial suspensions and culturing. The coated cotton fabric that was activated with oxalic acid exhibited significant photocatalytic antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) bacteria, with bacterial reduction rate above 97 %, even after 10 washing cycles. This performance can be attributed to the effective coupling of LiNbO3 3 with oxalic acid in the cotton's surface and its resistance to washing out. This study's novel synthesis and coating method offers an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and straightforward approach for producing LiNbO3 3 self-cleaning and antibacterial surface-activated cotton.