Nanosilver finishing of cellulosic fabric with antibacterial performance: A thematic review

Nanosilver colloids are zero-dimensional assemblies produced either through top-to-bottom approaches or vice versa in a nanocrystalline fashion. Due to their outstanding tunable structural, morphological, optical, and functional attributes, nanosilver colloids find diverse applications in chemistry, materials, composites, textiles, and biomedical fields. We, herein, present an in-depth review of the available physical, chemical, and biological approaches to fabricate nanosilver colloids, their physicochemical attributes, and their application on cellulose fabrics for antibacterial textiles. The application of silver-based nano-finish on the cellulose fabric through its polar moieties has been undertaken in the presence of suitable crosslinkers to impart durability. The SNP synthesis methods with different reducing agents and the effectiveness of nanosilver finish with other antibacterial finishes have been compared. Over here, green-approaches have been encouraged as compared to chemical ones for the synthesis and application of silver-based nano-finishes. The effect of such treatments on the chemical, structural, textile, comfort, and antibacterial properties of cellulose and other fabrics have been discussed. The treated fabric could be characterized using various conventional and advanced analytical techniques. The antibacterial features and possible toxicity concerns associated with nanosilver-treated fabrics have also been discussed. The study concludes with recent opportunities and future suggestions in this domain.