title: Embedment of silver into temperature- and pH-responsive microgel for the development of smart textiles with simultaneous moisture management and controlled antimicrobial activities.
abstract: Silver nanoparticles were embedded into a temperature- and pH-responsive microgel based on poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) and chitosan (PNCS) before or after its application to cotton fabric to create a smart stimuli-responsive textile with simultaneous moisture management and controlled antimicrobial activities. Two different methods of silver embedment into the PNCS microgel using two different forms of silver nanoparticles were studied, i.e., in-situ synthesis of AgCl nanocrystals into PNCS microgel particles that had previously been applied to cotton fabric, as well as the direct incorporation of colloidal silver into the microgel suspension prior to its deposition on cellulose fibres. SEM and FT-IR analysis were employed to determine the morphological and chemical changes of the modified cotton fibres, while EDS and ICP MS analysis were used to confirm the presence of the silver nanoparticles. The influence of silver embedment on the swelling/deswelling activity of the PNCS microgel was studied using the temperature- and pH-responsiveness, as determined by the moisture content, water vapour transmission rate and water uptake. The antimicrobial activity against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was assessed. Regardless of the embedment technique, the presence of silver nanoparticles resulted in impaired moisture management activity of the studied microgel. The PNCS microgel proved to be a suitable carrier of antimicrobial agents, assuring the effective controlled release of silver triggered by changes in the temperature and pH of the surroundings, which granted the cotton fabric excellent antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative E. coli (>99%) and Gram-positive S. aureus (>85%).
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Danaja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Štular
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jerman
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Materials and Metallurgy, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Iztok
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naglič
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Simončič
authors.affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: brigita.tomsic@ntf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Brigita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tomšič
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013696:Temperature; D013784:Textiles / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005782:Gels; D012834:Silver
keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Chitosan; Poly-NiPAAm; Silver; Smart textiles; Stimuli-responsive microgel