Jerusalem, November 17th A team at the University of Baltimore, Israel, used ultrasound to "embed" zinc oxide nanoparticles with antibacterial properties into fabric fibers to form an antimicrobial coating. Through this simple treatment, almost any ordinary fabric can be turned into an antibacterial fabric, and related technologies are expected to be widely used in the field of antibacterial treatment of medical textiles.
In the laboratory of the professor of chemistry at the University of Bariland, Aharon Gaddan, the Xinhua News Agency saw the antibacterial coating processing technology and working principle: antibacterial substances were placed in the grooves of a reactor. A small burst of "squeaking", several meters of white textiles kept moving back and forth in the reactor.
According to Gaddanken, fine zinc oxide nanoparticles are the key to successful antimicrobials. The antibacterial coating process is mainly a physical process. Without using any chemical binder, the zinc oxide nanoparticles can be firmly bonded together to achieve a highly uniform coating and stable antibacterial performance.
After processing with antibacterial coatings, medical textiles, from bed sheets to quilts to sick clothes, can become bacterial "insulators", which is expected to greatly improve the hygienic conditions of hospitals and reduce cross-infection. In addition, the textiles with the antibacterial coating can be washed several times and can still maintain the antibacterial function after washing 65 times in 92 degrees Celsius water.
According to reports, the antibacterial coating technology has been applied and tested and entered the commercial stage. In 2013, a Bulgarian hospital tested coated coated sheets, pillowcases and sick suits, showing significant antibacterial effects. The small reactor of Professor Gedanken's laboratory has been developed into a large-scale production facility by the Brückner Textile Machinery Company in Germany for the industrial production of the textile industry. Sonovia, an Israeli textile high-tech company, has obtained the right to commercialize the antimicrobial fabric coating technology from the University of Balen. In the future they will provide technology and Brückner Textile Machinery will expand equipment sales.
Next, Gedanken and his team hope to extend the technology to the development of food packaging materials, embedding edible antibacterial particles into food packaging bags to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, thereby reducing food waste.
