Scientists from NC State Uni & Egypt develop textiles with anti-microbial properties
22 Jun '05
3 min read
Antimicrobial agents are not new to the marketplace. Our stores are filled with antibacterial soaps and gels, and in a post-9/11 world, wearable protection from biological agents is in increasing demand. So far, antimicrobial textile production has used coatings that can wash away over time, reducing the useful life of protective clothing.
At North Carolina State University, nuclear and textile engineers have joined forces with textile scientists from Egypt to create textiles that have permanent antimicrobial properties. Dr. Mohamed A. Bourham, professor of nuclear engineering, and Dr. Marian G. McCord, associate professor of textile engineering, chemistry and science and biomedical engineering, are working with Professor Samiha Gawish and Ameera Ramadan from the National Research Center in Cairo, Egypt, to produce this new generation of antimicrobial textiles.
Using atmospheric plasma and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), a chemical catalyst, to open the molecular bonds of fibers, the research team has been able to successfully attach antimicrobial agents to the molecular structure of fibers, creating a permanent bond between the fibers and the agent so that washing and wearing do not reduce the efficacy.
“There are many applications for such a process,” Bourham says. “For instance, we could create wool that would be moth-proof, or we could produce cotton and synthetic materials for use in hospitals and other places where bacteria present a hazard.”
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
