Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles Within Cotton Fabric for Enhanced Durability and Performance in Textiles

Global market demand for sustainable materials and advancements in technology have led to the intersection of nanomaterials and fibers for the textiles industry. The combination of performance and durability for the incorporation of metal nanoparticles into natural fibers could help satisfy this demand. However, current technology lacks long-term robustness due to the industrial practice of nanoparticle application onto the surface of fibers. Here, a green synthetic method is developed in which copper (0) nanoparticles (Cu0 NPs) are produced within cotton fibers from an economically viable Cu2+ precursor using only glycerol as both a solvent and reducing agent. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of the treated cotton fiber cross section confirmed the formation of spherical Cu0 NPs within the interior of the fiber structure with a mean diameter of 60.5 ± 34.7 nm (median diameter of 56.2 nm), circularity of 0.783 ± 0.150, and roundness of 0.748 ± 0.134. The reduced valence state of the Cu0 nanoparticles was validated by UV-Vis spectroscopy with a surface plasmon resonance intensity at 550 nm and by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) with observed Cu0 peaks at 43.3° (111), 50.4° (200), 74.1° (220), 89.9° (311), and 95.0° (222) 2θ. Laundering durability following AATCC Test Method 61 showed that 68.9% of copper content remained even after 50 cycles. Ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of the Cu0 NP-cotton fabric after 50 laundering cycles remained >50, demonstrating the high durability and performance capabilities of the produced materials.