Cellulose Solution As Both Mercerizing and Sizing Agent to Impart Antibacterial Properties to Gauze Fabrics

Mercerization and sizing constitute essential pretreatment protocols for optimizing the processability and wear performance of cotton gauze in textile manufacturing. Nevertheless, conventional methodologies relying on high-concentration alkali solutions and non-degradable sizing agents (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol) present critical challenges. To address these limitations, we developed an integrated cellulose/NaOH/urea ternary system (1 wt% cellulose, 7 wt% NaOH, 12 wt% urea) that synergistically achieves fiber mercerization, sizing, and in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) through a single-bath process. Within this system, NaOH was used as a mercerizing agent, while cellulose derivatives served as triple functions: (1) as a green reductant for Ag + ions, (2) as a stabilizer of Ag NPs, and (3) as a biodegradable sizing matrix. Urea operates as a multifunctional adjuvant through [Ag(NH 2 ) 2 CO] + . Compared with Ag-NaBH 4 @GZ, the optimized Ag-140°C@GZ composite demonstrated exceptional functional integration: the attachment of Ag NPs was confirmed through characterization techniques, such as FTIR, XPS, and so on. Notably, the modified gauze still achieved complete sterilization of Escherichia coli within 4 h after 100 accelerated washing cycles. Crucially, functionalization preserved intrinsic textile characteristics with a minimal impact on vapor transmissibility (1079 g/m 2 /day) while enhancing tensile strength by 25.6%. Biosafety is confirmed via cyto-compatibility assessments. This efficient collaborative process has developed durable medical textiles while addressing issues of antibacterial performance, environmental sustainability, and industrial scalability.