Development of antibacterial and hydrophobic PVDF@ZnO coating on cotton fabrics by electrospinning method

Products with antimicrobial properties enhance personal comfort and hygiene by preventing bacterial infections. In this work, we developed an antibacterial and hydrophobic coating by combining zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) through the electrospinning method, aiming for an enhanced cotton surface for textile applications. Initially, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and integrated uniformly within the PVDF, characterized by various analytical techniques. This study highlights the coating's remarkable antibacterial activity, evidenced by a significant inhibition zone diameter of 18 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and its enhanced hydrophobicity, with a contact angle of 136°. Additionally, it was found that the Higuchi model could describe the diffusion release of ZnO from the PVDF coating. The obtained result allows us to conclude that applying the electrospinning method to fabric coatings opens new avenues in the design of functional textiles, particularly antibacterial ones, as proved in this paper.