In recent years, the use of functional textiles has attained attention due to their advantageous health and safety issues. Therefore, this study investigated the flame retardancy on cotton (COT) and polyester-cotton (PC) fabrics treated with different concentrations of silica and zinc nanoparticles through a sol-gel finishing technique. FTIR, SEM, and TGA were conducted for the characterization of coated fabric samples. The FTIR and SEM of Pristine and Treated Cotton and PC fabrics illustrated that the SiO₂ (silica dioxide) and ZnO (Zinc oxide) nanoparticles were homogeneously attached to the fiber surface, which contributed to the enhancement of the thermal stability. The starting thermal degradation improved from 320 to 350 °C and maximum degradation was observed from 400 to 428 °C for the COT-2 cotton substrate. However, the initial thermal degradation improved from 310 to 319 °C and the highest degradation from 500 to 524 °C for the PC substrate PC-2. The outcomes revealed that the silica has a greater influence on the thermal properties of COT and PC fabric samples. Additionally, the tensile strength and flexural rigidity of the treated samples were improved with an insignificant decrease in air permeability.

Self-assembling fabrication methodology has recently attracted attention for the production of bio-degradable polymer nanocomposites. In this research work, bacterial cellulose/electrospun nanofiber hybrid mats (BC/CA-ENM) were formed by incorporating cellulose acetate electrospun nanofiber membranes (CA-ENMs) in the fermentation media, followed by in situ self-assembly of bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers. ENMs exhibit excessive hydrophobicity, attributed to their high crystallinity and reorientation of hydrophobic groups at the air/solid interfaces. We aimed to improve the hydrophilic and other functional properties of ENMs. As-prepared nanohybrid structures were characterized using SEM and FTIR. SEM results revealed that in situ self-assembling of BC nanofibers onto the electrospun membrane’s surface and penetration into pores gradually increased with extended fermentation periods. The surface hydrophilicity and water absorption capacity of as-prepared hybrid mats was also tested and analyzed. Hybrid mats were observably more hydrophilic than an electrospun membrane and more hydrophobic compared to BC films. In addition, the incorporation of CA electrospun membranes in the culture media as a foundation for BC nanofiber growth resulted in improved tensile strength of the hybrid nanocomposites compared to ENMs. Overall, the results indicated the successful fabrication of nanocomposites through a novel approach, with samples demonstrating improved functional properties.

Recently, natural dyes have a widening scope in various traditional and advanced applications due to their eco-friendly environment. However, improved dyeability of natural dyes still remains a challenging task. This research was aimed to achieve multi-objective wool with improved dyeability using bio-nano-mordant composed of m-Trans-glutaminase, m-TGase, and bentonite nanoclay. Wool fiber was treated through sonochemical method using different concentrations of m-TGase and bentonite. The surface morphology of wool fabric samples was examined by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier transform Infrared Radiation (FTIR). Further, wool samples treated at different conditions were applied to madder for dyeability examination. The optimum conditions of color coordinates, color strength, K/S, and washing fastness of madder on treated wool fabric with m-TGase and bentonite, were also examined. The results revealed well-made interactions among m-TGase, bentonite, and wool fibers. In addition, surface morphology was strongly influenced by variations in enzyme concentrations so that extra addition of m-TGase lead to clear damage scales or less cuticle surface in SEM images. Moreover, the results showed that the value of K/S for treated wool samples was better than untreated samples. Indeed, amongst all, 5% concentrations of bio-nano-mordant for m-TGase and bentonite have the most constructive K/S values. Similarly, results of ΔE and antibacterial investigations also confirmed its superiority.

In recent years, reinforced composites from biodegradable and natural fibers have a worldwide scope for advanced applications. However, the core limitation of natural fiber reinforced composites are poor consistency among supporting fibers and the matrix. Therefore, optimal structural performance of fibers and matrix is desirable. In this study, chemical treatments (i.e., alkali pretreatment, acid pretreatment, and scouring) were applied to jute fibers for improvement of composite properties. Thermal, thermo-mechanical, and flexural properties, and surface morphology, of untreated and treated jute fibers were studied on the treated fibers. Jute fiber/epoxy composite properties were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), flexural strength and modulus, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The chemical treatments had a significant impact on the properties of jute fiber composites.