ZnO Sol-Gel Antimicrobial Coating
topic
ZnO sol-gel synthesis uses zinc acetate dihydrate (0.1–0.5 mol/L in ethanol) with monoethanolamine stabilizer (molar ratio Zn:MEA = 1:1), hydrolyzed at 60°C for 2 hours to form stable colloidal ZnO sol (particle size 5–15 nm). Applied to textiles via dip-coating or padding at 0.5–2.0 g/m² ZnO add-on, dried at 100°C, and calcined at 150–200°C for 30 min to consolidate the ZnO network. Uniform nanoparticle distribution and in-situ particle formation within fiber interstices improves adhesion versus pre-formed nanoparticle padding. Wash durability extends to 40–50 cycles. Photocatalytic bactericidal activity is 30–40% higher than equivalent padding due to higher surface area and crystallinity of sol-gel derived ZnO.
Role
Superior route for producing highly durable, uniformly distributed ZnO antimicrobial coatings on technical textiles where conventional nanoparticle padding achieves insufficient wash fastness or photocatalytic performance.