A novel method for preparing the antibacterial glass fibre mat using laser treatment

¹ Faculty of Textile, Department of Textile Chemistry, Technical University of Liberec, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
² Department of Textile, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 38135/567, Arak, Iran

^a email: sh-shahidi@iau-arak.ac.ir

Received: 25 August 2013
Revised: 28 December 2013
Accepted: 8 January 2014
Published online: 14 February 2014

Abstract

In this study, CO₂ laser treatment was used as a novel method for creating antibacterial properties on glass mat. Different metallic salts such as CuO, ZnO and AgNO₃ were even applied on surface of glass fiber mat, then irradiated with the laser light beam (100 μs). Metal particles were deposited on the surface of samples, and the antibacterial has been developed, through incorporation of metal particles on glass mats. The antibacterial properties of the fabrics were connected with the presence of metal particles on their surface. The amounts of metal particles on the surface were compared using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). Also the morphological properties of the fabrics were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental work suggests that the change in properties induced by laser can effect an improvement in certain textile products.