Boosted Antimicrobial and Self-Cleaning Activities with MnO2/ ZnO Coated on Cotton Fabric

In this study, sheet-like MnO2/ZnO microflower (MnO2/ZnO) loaded on cotton fabric was prepared via a facile reflux-thermal deposition combined technique. The coated fabric and as-fabricated particles were analyzed through numerous characterization techniques including field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), tensile strength, Ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) as well as photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The optical trait of the ZnO was significantly improved by the addition of MnO2 that extended reflectance edges in the visible light region. The treated cotton fabric greatly inhibited the growth of Escherichia Coli bacteria and Aspergillus Niger fungi as testified by the zone of inhibition surrounding the fabric samples. The self-cleaning outcomes also demonstrated that 3% MnO2/ZnO/fabric presented highest visible light photodegradation of phenol among the samples. The promising performance of the cotton fabric coated by MnO2/ZnO composite was related to the reactive oxygen species produced by the heterojunction photocatalytic mechanism under exposure of visible light.