This research proposed two pretreatments of viscose fabrics: oxidation with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy radical (TEMPO) and coating with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCN), to introduce functional groups (COOH and CHO) suitable for irreversible binding of chitosan nanoparticles without and with embedded zinc (NCS and NCS + Zn, respectively) and consequently achieving washing durable antibacterial properties of the chitosan nanoparticles functionalized fabrics. The characterizations of pretreated and chitosan nanoparticles functionalized fabrics were performed by FTIR and XPS spectroscopy, elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, zeta potential measurements, scanning electron microscopy, determination of COOH and CHO groups content, and antimicrobial activity under dynamic contact conditions. Influence of pretreatments on NCS and NCS + Zn adsorption, chemical, electrokinetic, and antibacterial properties as well as morphology, and washing durability of NCS and NCS + Zn functionalized fabrics were studied and compared. Washing durability was evaluated through changes in the chitosan and zinc content, zeta potential, and antibacterial activity after 1, 3, and 5 washing cycles. Pretreatments improved washing durability of antibacterial properties of chitosan nanoparticles functionalized fabrics. The NCS and NCS + Zn functionalized pretreated fabrics preserved antibacterial activity against S. aureus after five washing cycles, while antibacterial activity against E. coli was preserved only after one washing cycle in the case NCS + Zn functionalized pretreated viscose fabrics.

The main objective of this study was to obtain chitosan functionalized viscose fabric with improved antibacterial properties and washing durability. In this regard carboxyl and aldehyde groups, as binding points for irreversible chitosan attachment into/onto viscose fabric, were introduced by two different pretreatments: 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy radical (TEMPO) oxidation and coating with TEMPO oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCN). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, zeta potential measurements, scanning electron microscopy, breaking strength and antibacterial testing were used to evaluate the influence of these pretreatments on chitosan binding, but also on chemical, electrokinetic, morphological, mechanical and antibacterial properties of pretreated and chitosan functionalized viscose fabrics. Washing durability of chitosan functionalized viscose was monitored through changes in the chitosan content, electrokinetic and antibacterial properties after multiple washing. TOCN coating improves mechanical properties of fabric, while TEMPO oxidation deteriorates them. The results show that both pretreatments improve chitosan adsorption and thus antibacterial properties, which are highly durable to washing. After five washings, the chitosan functionalized pretreated viscose fabrics preserve their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, while antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was lost. TOCN coated and chitosan functionalized viscose fabric is a high value-added product with simultaneously improved antibacterial and mechanical properties, which may find application as medical textiles.

This study aimed to obtain functional viscose textiles based on chitosan coatings with improved antibacterial properties and washing durability. For that reason, before functionalization with chitosan/zinc nanoparticles (NCH+Zn), the viscose fabric was modified by nonthermal gas plasma of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) to introduce into its structure functional groups suitable for attachment of NCH+Zn. NCH+Zn were characterized by measurements of hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential and AFM. DBD-plasma-modified and NCH+Zn-functionalized fabrics were characterized by zeta potential measurements, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, the calcium acetate method (determination of content of carboxyl and aldehyde groups), SEM, breaking-strength measurements, elemental analysis, and ICP-OES. Their antibacterial activity was determined under dynamic contact conditions. In addition to SEM, the NCH+Zn distributions on viscose fabrics were also indirectly characterized by measuring their absorbent capacities before and after functionalization with NCH+Zn. Washing durability was monitored through changes in the zeta potential, chitosan and zinc content, and antibacterial activity after 1, 3, and 5 washing cycles. The obtained results showed that DBD plasma modification contributed to the simultaneous improvement of NCH+Zn sorption and antibacterial properties of the viscose fabric functionalized with NCH+Zn, and its washing durability, making it suitable for the production of high-value-added medical textiles.

The electrokinetic properties of materials give useful insight into the behavior of surfaces in contact with liquids and other compounds and their quantification is a powerful tool to predict their behavior during further processing and application, especially in textile materials. In this work, we perform a comparative analysis of influence of the two most common selective oxidative protocols for viscose (regenerated cellulose) fabrics on subsequent functionalization with chitosan, and cellulose fabrics’ electrokinetic properties, zeta potential in a pH range of approx. 3–10, and isoelectric point (IEP). For oxidation before deposition of chitosan, sodium periodate and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy radical (TEMPO) were used. The content of functional groups in oxidized cellulose fabric (carboxyl and carbonyl groups) was determined by titration methods, while amino functional groups’ availability in samples with chitosan was determined using the CI acid orange 7 dye absorption method. This study reveals that the periodate oxidation (PO) of cellulose is more effective for binding chitosan onto material, which gave rise to higher availability of amino groups onto cellulose/chitosan material, which also influenced the shift in zeta potential curve towards positive values at a pH below 5. Analysis of a relationship between zeta potential increase at pH 4.4 and amino groups’ amount measured using absorption of CI acid orange 7 dye at pH 4.4 revealed dependency that can be fitted linearly or exponentially, with the latter providing the better fit (R² = 0.75).

This study aimed to obtain textile based on viscose and chitosan with simultaneously improved sorption and antibacterial properties. For that reason, before functionalization with chitosan, the viscose fabric was modified by nonthermal gas plasma of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) to introduce into its structure functional groups suitable for improved adsorption of chitosan. Functional groups' content of unmodified and DBD modified viscose fabric was determined by the calcium acetate method, while their influence on the surface charge, as well as the success of the functionalization of viscose fabrics with chitosan, was evaluated by measuring the zeta potential. Morphological, sorption and antibacterial properties of unmodified and DBD modified viscose fabrics, before and after functionalization with chitosan, were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, capillary rise method, and standard test method ASTME 2149-01: 2001, respectively. The obtained results showed that the treatment with DBD contributed to the simultaneous improvement of sorption and antibacterial properties of viscose fabric functionalized with chitosan, making it suitable for the production of high value-added medical textiles.

This study examines the dimensional, mechanical (bursting strength, ball traverse elongation, compressibility, and compressive resilience), and comfort-related properties (air permeability, water vapor resistance, volume electrical resistivity, and water retention) of double-weft knitted fabrics made from cotton and wool, using 1 × 1 rib and Milano rib structure, that develop during the washing process. The results reveal that yarn composition, knit structure, and washing conditions have a significant influence on the fabric’s performance after washing, particularly in terms of dimensional stability and structural integrity. Cotton fabrics exhibited greater dimensional changes after washing compared to wool fabrics. Isotropic shrinkage was observed in cotton Milano rib and wool 1 × 1 rib fabrics, while anisotropic dimensional changes occurred in cotton 1 × 1 rib and wool Milano rib fabrics. Wool fabrics had shorter initial stitch lengths and a higher mass per unit area, indicating coarser yarns and denser knit structures. Cotton fabrics, particularly those with a 1 × 1 rib structure, experienced notable reductions in bursting strength, compressibility, and air permeability. In contrast, wool fabrics, especially with a 1 × 1 rib structure, showed improved mechanical properties after washing. Across all samples, comfort-related properties declined after washing, with cotton fabrics experiencing more significant deterioration, likely due to increased sensitivity to conducted washing stresses. Overall performance rankings indicated that wool fabrics in the 1 × 1 rib structure maintained the greatest stability after washing, whereas cotton fabrics in the same knit structure exhibited the most substantial deterioration in performance. These findings provide valuable guidance for selecting yarn composition and knit structure type to enhance the dimensional stability, and functional performance of knitted products. The influence of yarn process and structure has not been taken into consideration.