Antimicrobial modification of cellulose fabrics using low-pressure plasma and silver compounds

Abstract

The possibility of using low-pressure plasma in combination with silver compounds to achieve antibacterial properties of cellulose has been investigated. Two antibacterial agents were used: commercial product whose active component is pure AgCl and silver nitrate (AgNO3) as a possible substitute for the commercially available agent. Low-pressure oxygen plasma was used for pretreatment and physical-chemical activation of fabric samples, and fabric treatment with an antibacterial agent using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition Process (PE-CVD). Argon plasma was used as a medium to deposit an antibacterial agent to a cellulose substrate in developing a new Direct Plasma Deposition Process (Ar-DPDP). Antibacterial activity was determined by a standardized test procedure with agar plate method. The innovative Ar-DPDP has proven to be very suitable for antibacterial processing using tested agents, whereby the effects achieved with pure AgNO3 do not lag behind the antibacterial effects of a commercial product.