Fabrication of ZIF/SiO2 hybrid particles to prepare cotton-based antibacterial and anti-biofilm composites with high durability

As living standards continue to rise, the demand for advanced cotton textiles that fulfill enhanced functional requirements has grown significantly. Therefore, the development of multifunctional antibacterial/hydrophobic cotton fabrics holds considerable practical value. In this study, a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) based hybrid material, ZIF/SiO 2 -LDS (Long-chain derivative of silane), was synthesized via a co-precipitation method using silica, zinc nitrate hexahydrate, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH-550), 2-methylimidazole and hexadecyltrimethylsilane (HDTMS). The resulting hybrid particles were then applied to cotton fabric through a simple padding process, achieving a loading amount of 2.348 %. This was followed by chlorination treatment with sodium hypochlorite to introduce antibacterial functionality. Hydrophobicity was assessed through contact angle measurements, achieving a maximum contact angle exceeding 145°. Antibacterial efficacy testing revealed complete inactivation of bacteria strains, achieving 100 % effectiveness. Study on the adhesion behavior of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli showed that HZSi/cot-Cl exhibits outstanding antibacterial adhesion resistance, effectively inhibiting bacterial attachment at concentrations up to 10 6  CFU/mL within one hour. The combined antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties significantly mitigate biofilm formation on the HZSi/cot-Cl surface. Notably, the fabric retained its anti-biofilm functionality even after 50 wash cycles. This research provides valuable insights into the development of advanced antibacterial and anti-adhesive treatments for cotton fabrics.