Citric-acid anchored silver nano-finishing of commercially dyed denim fabric for potential non toxic antibacterial surgical gowns

Purpose Present study aimed to nanosilver-treat some commercially dyed denim fabric using an eco-friendly cross-linker of citric acid for possible application in the fabrication of sustainable antibacterial and nontoxic surgical gowns. Design/methodology/approach The conventional untreated surgical gowns are prone to bacterial attack making them unprotective and infection carriers. Thereby, nanosilver finishing of the surgical-grade dyed denim fabric was achieved via citrate cross-linking under the pad-dry-cure method. The hence treated denim fabrics were characterized for surface chemical, crystalline, textile, color and antibacterial attributes using both conventional and advanced analytical approaches. Findings The results expressed that the prepared denim specimens contained surface roughness at the nanoscale besides some alterations in their textile and color parameters. Both textile and comfort properties of the finished fabric remained in the acceptable range with effective antibacterial activity. Practical implications The silver nano-finished dyed denim expressed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and qualified as a potential substrate in the fabrication of surgical gowns. Such sustainable application of nanosilver finishing could be perused for industrial implications. Originality/value This study presents citric acid as a crosslinking agent to impregnate the commercially dyed denim fabric for potential application in the fabrication of surgical gowns. The application of nanosilver on prior citrated dyed-grown fabrics could be a novel approach. This study used approximately all the reagents and auxiliaries as bio-based to ensure the nontoxicity and sustainability of the resultant fabric.