Nano Finishings in

Textiles
Introduction
The first R&D work of Nanofinshings was made by Dr. Soane.
He started the first Nanotechnology based company Nano-Tex
in 1998.
Prof W Barthlott of Germany led to understand the mechnaism
of lotus leaves and owns the patent Lotus-Effect.
Dr Xin and Dr Daoud found an efficient way to coat cotton
cloth with tiny particles of TiO2 which act as catalysts.
Easy Care-Hydrophobic Nano Finish
Hydrophobic surfaces are produced by two ways: 1) by creating a
rough structure on a hydrophobic surface 2) by modifying a rough
surface using materials with low surface free energy.
Using hydrophobic polymer films and attaching hydrophobic
monomers, hydrophobic character is imparted to cotton.
Some monomeric hydrocarbon hydrophobes are aluminium and
zirconium soaps, metal complexes, waxes and wax like substances,
pridinium compounds and other fibre reactive finishes.
Fluorocarbon finishes are a class of hydrophobic finishes, which
impart water & oil repellency and have consumer driven
properties to fabrics.
Fluorocarbons contain a perfluroalkyl residue having high
thermal stability & low reactivity.
Varying the proportion of hydrophobic & hydrophilic groups in
the side chains can vary the structure of fluorinated acrylates.
Durable fluorocarbon forming cross-linked networks, forms low
energy films that protect the treated fabrics.
The fluorinated side chains of a polyacrylate fluorocarbon
finishes form low energy repellent surfaces.
To develop a more durable hydrophobic & oleophobic finish to
the fabric, Soane patented a large number of multifunctional
(nano) molecules.
These multifunctional molecules used may be block
copolymers or graft copolymers having plural functional groups.
In these molecules carboxyl groups are reactive groups, and
these may present in the form of poly carboxylic acid or as poly
anhydrides such as poly (maleic anhydride).
Oil and Water repellency of fabrics
treated with acrylic polymers
Perfluorinated Oil-repellency test Spray test
group (ATCC 118) (ISO 4920)

-CF3 0 50
-CF2-CF3 3-4 70

-(CF2) 2 -CF3 6-7 70

-(CF2) 4 -CF3 7-8 70

-(CF2) 6 -CF3 7-8 70

-(CF2) 8 -CF3 8 80
Film of fluorocarbon acrylate polymer
based finish
Multifunctional Reactive Molecule
disclosed by Dr. Soane
Photocatalytic Self-Cleaning
A powerful oxidizing agent (catalytic initiators) with UV light is
applied for the removal of organic pollutant.
TiO2 is an excellent catalyst in the photodegradation.

Photocatalytic propensity of TiO2 has been attributed to the

promotion of an electron from the valence band to the conduction
band is brought about by the absorption of a photon of ultra-
bandgap.
The electron-hole pair, e-h+ created due to the electron transfer
from VB to CB.
In the presence of oxygen and/or H2O, superoxide (•O2) and/or
hydroxyl (•OH) radicals are formed.
These radicals attack adsorbed organic species on the surface of
TiO2 and decompose them.
If an electron donor (ED), such as ethanol, methanol and EDTA,
is present at the surface then the photogenerated hole can react
with it to generate an oxidised product (ED+).
If there is an electron acceptor (EA) present at the surface, such
as oxygen or hydrogen peroxide, then the photogenerated
conductance band electrons can react with it to generate a
reduced product (EA-).
TiO 2 - +
EA+ED −−−−−−−→ EA +ED
hν ≈ 3.2 eV
Many commercial systems, employ the semiconductor
photocatalyst TiO2 to oxidize organic pollutants by oxygen, i.e.

TiO2
Organic pollutant + O2 −−−−−−−−→ CO2 + H2O + mineral acid
hν ≈ 3.2
eV
The TiO2 particle can act as either an electron donor or acceptor
for molecules in the surrounding media.
The photo-induced charge separation in bare TiO2 particles has
a very short lifetime because of charge recombination.
Major processes associated with TiO2
semiconductor particle
Nano Antimicrobial Finishes
Silver or silver ions have strong inhibitory and bacterial effects
as well as a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities.
This inhibitory effect of silver ion/silver metal on bacteria has
been attributed to the interaction of silver ion with thiol groups in
bacteria.
Silver salts such as Silver nitrate with anionic copolymer of
styrene, ethyl acrylate, acrylic acid and divinyl benzene are
widely used for this interaction.
Silver antimicrobial agent can be produced by treating cross-
linked carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) having > 0.4 carboxy
methyl groups with silver nitrate.
Yang has patented the process for preparing a silver
nanoparticles containing functional microcapsule.
Microcapsule can be prepared by treating an emulsified solution
of a perfume, which is encapsulated with melanin precondensate.
The microcapsule so produced is treated with silver nanoparticle
dispersed in water-soluble styrene maleic anhydride polymer
solution before it fully dries.
In these microcapsules, the silver nanoparticles are on the
surface of the capsule.
For producing highly concentrated stable dispersions of
nanosized silver particles, silver nitrate is reduced with ascorbic
acid to precipitate metallic silver in acidic solutions according to
following reaction:
2Ag+ + C6H8O6 ←−−→ 2Ag0 + C6H6O6 + 2H+
Structural view of a Silver nano
particle containing functional
microcapsule (a). Microcapsule
(b). Inner core contains
functional substance
such as perfume, a
thermosensitive
pigment, thermal
storage material or
pharmaceutical
preparation
(c). Outer shell
Super Hydrophobicity – Self Cleaning
– Lotus Effect
Hydrophobic finishes, lower the surface area and can give a
maximum water contact angle of 120 degrees.
Self-cleaning ability and super hydrophobic finish can be
obtained with the contact angles above 150 degrees.
By increasing the surface roughness we can get higher contact
angles, also provides large geometric area for a relatively small
projected area.
Cassie & Baxter first observed the water-repellency of rough
surfaces due to the air enclosed between the gaps in the surface.
Barthlott and Neinhuis (1997) investigated the self-cleaning
propensity of plant leaves’ rough surface.
The report shows that the majority of wettable leaves were
smooth without any prominent surface sculpturing.
Contact angle < 110 degrees. Absence of Epicuticular wax
crystals.
In contrast, water repellent leaves exhibited various surface
sculptures where water contracted forming spherical droplets.
Contact angles above 150 degrees. Presence of Epicuticular wax
crystals with papillose epidermal cells.
Particles adhering to the leaf surfaces were removed entirely
from the water repellent leaves.
When a water droplet rolls over a particle, the water droplet
captures the particle.
This is because the adhesion between the particle and surface is
greater than the adhesion between the particle and water droplet.
This result shows the complete self-cleaning ability by water
repellent plant surfaces, which can by demonstrated with sacred
lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).
This phenomenon is called Lotus Effect.
Conclusion
The basic mechanisms and the logic of some of these finishes
have been explained.
Some nano finishes such as 'Nano-Care', 'Lotus Effect'
finishes, Nanosphere based finish and Ag Fresh has been
commercialized.
The commercial viability of these finishes will be customer
driven.
The new concepts exploited for the development of nano
finishes have opened up exciting opportunities for further
R&D.