ZIF-L coated cotton fabric for antibacterial and self-cleaning applications

Abstract

Textiles that possess antibacterial and self-cleaning properties play a crucial role in preventing the growth and spread of microbes. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-L (ZIF-L) nanostructures have gained significant attention in research due to their ability to sustainably release Zn²⁺ ions, coupled with the physical destruction of bacteria by their blade-like tips. However, ZIF-L has been rarely employed in preparing multifunctional hydrophobic textile surfaces. In this study, a uniform and dense coating of leaf-shaped ZIF-L nanostructures was decorated on the cotton fabric to construct a hydrophobic material by an in situ growth method combined with a chemical vapor deposition process. To enhance antibacterial properties, Cu was incorporated into the ZIF-L structure. The morphology of nanostructure-modified cotton fabric was controllable by adjustment of experimental parameters. The resulting fabrics exhibited excellent antibacterial efficacy against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, effectively killing 5 log CFU (> 99.999%) of E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, the prepared cotton fabric not only showed hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 132° ± 0.58 but also displayed good self-cleaning capabilities. The incorporation of nanostructures significantly improved the tensile strength of the cotton fabric, resulting in a 43% increase, while having a minimal impact on breaking elongation. Additionally, these fabricated fabrics maintained their functional stability after washing. It is therefore believed these valuable functions could significantly enhance the practical feasibility of the fabric in various application scenarios.