Preparation and characterization of multifunctional cotton fabric by coating with sonochemically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticle-flakes and a novel approach to monitor its self-cleaning property

Multifunctional cotton fabric has been prepared by pad-dry-coating with sonochemically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles. The uniqueness of sonochemical synthesis is that it synthesizes without alkali at near neutral pH and hence the cotton fabric is exposed to less chemical stress. As a result of coating, the fabric shows enhanced mechanical strength, water and stain repellence, antimicrobial properties, UV-blocking capacity and self-cleaning characteristics compared to the uncoated fabric. The self-cleaning property was tested with Trypan Blue dye under sunlight. The attempt of quantifying the self-cleaning process with the rate of decolorization is a novel one. It was observed that about 69% of the colour was removed when the coated fabric was exposed to sunlight for 3 h and 30 min. The fading of colour followed pseudo-first-order kinetics.