title: A solvent induced crystallisation method to imbue bioactive ingredients of neem oil into the compact structure of poly (ethylene terephthalate) polyester.
abstract: Neem oil, a natural antibacterial agent from neem tree (Azadarichtaindica) has been used to impart antibacterial activity to polyester fabrics. Solvent induced polymer modification method was used and that facilitated the easy entry of neem molecules into the compact structure of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polyester. The polyester fabric was treated with trichloroacetic acid-methylene chloride (TCAMC) solvent system at room temperature prior to treatment with neem oil. The concentration of TCAMC and the treatment time were optimised. XRD and SEM results showed that the TCAMC treatment causes polymer modification and morphological changes in the PET polyester. Antibacterial activity of TCAMC pre-treated and neem-oil-treated polyester fabric was tested using AATCC qualitative and quantitative methods. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms were used to determine the antimicrobial activity. It was observed that the treated fabric registers substantial antimicrobial activity against both the Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and the Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and the effect increases with the increase in concentration of TCAMC treatment. The antibacterial effect remains substantial even after 25 launderings. A kinetic growth study involving the effect of antibacterial activity at various incubation times was carried out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
authors.forename: Wazed
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India.
authors.forename: Parveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sultana
authors.affiliation: Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
authors.forename: Mangala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, The University of Bolton, Bolton BL3 5AB, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sr2@bolton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Subbiyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajendran
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D003460:Crystallization; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development*; D005989:Glycerides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005989:Glycerides; D011091:Polyesters; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D012997:Solvents; D013729:Terpenes; C002443:neem oil
keywords: Antibacterial; Neem oil; Polyester; Pre-treatment; Solvent induced polymer modification; Trichloroacetic acid