Antibacterial materials: properties and applications

The use of antimicrobial compounds in textiles has grown dramatically over the last decades. The potential application field is wide. It ranges from industrial textiles exposed to weather such as awnings, screens and tents; upholstery used in large public areas such as hospitals, hotels and stations; fabrics for transports; protective clothing and personal protective equipment; bed sheets and blankets; textiles left wet between processing steps; intimate apparel, underwear, socks and sportswear. In addition, applications in fields as filtration and disinfection of air and water for white rooms, hospitals and operating theatres, food and pharmaceutical industries, water depuration, drinkable water supplying and air-conditioning systems are relevant. On the other hand, textiles are prone to microorganisms' growth on their surface, due to the morphology of fibres, in particular those of natural origin, which have a large surface area and moisture affinity. Unpleasant odour, reduction of mechanical strength, stains and discolouration are all effects of the biodeterioration of textiles, affecting almost all the types of fibres [1]. Depending on the fibre type, that is morphology, composition and surface texture, and on the applied antimicrobial agent, different chemical or physical approaches are possible and under development to confer antimicrobial activity to textiles. Our research team during the last years have been studying different kind of antibacterial finishing useful in various application fields: 1) polypyrrole; 2) keratin nanofibers functionalized by TiO2 nanoparticles or by irgasan and keratin nanofibers for dental implants; 3) chitosan.