Antimicrobial Functionalization of Textile Materials with Copper Silicate

A biofunctionalization of nonwoven fabrics was carried out with 0.1 - 4 wt.% of copper silicate. Polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable polymers [poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)] or their mixtures were used as polymer components. Mostly liquid oligomers of ethylene glycol (PEG) or copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (2.5 - 5 wt. %) were applied as plasticizers. New composite nonwovens containing CuSiO3 were prepared by the melt-blown technique [1]. They showed very good antibacterial and antifungal properties against colonies of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and a yeast fungus (Candida albicans). Nonwovens containing >= 0.5 wt.% of CuSiO3 can be used, e.g. as hygienic and bioactive filter materials in air-conditioning systems. The application of PLA and PHA affects the ability of these hybrid nonwovens to biologically decompose. DSC analysis indicated that the incorporation of additives in PLA and PP nonwovens significantly affected their melting and crystallization processes.