Exploring properties of surgical mask modified by iodine-doped cellulose film with 2D reduced graphene oxide decorated with TiO ₂ nanocomposite

The surgical mask protects against respiratory infectious diseases and prevents the risk of secondary infection due to the lack of inactivation of viruses or pathogenic bacteria. This study aims to evaluate the properties of surgical masks after the modification with a nanocomposite of titanium oxide decorated on 2D reduced graphene oxide and iodine-carboxymethyl cellulose (TIRC). The titanium oxide decorated on 2D reduced graphene oxide was prepared by the hydrothermal method. Then, TIRC was synthesized by the solution-cast method, and the nanocomposite was spray-coated on the surgical mask. Further, chemical, structural, and morphological characterization was performed for TIRC-coated masks. The antibacterial properties of the TIRC-coated mask were evaluated using the disc diffusion method. Furthermore, the photocatalytic properties of the TIRC-coated mask were determined towards methylene blue (MB) dye. The Ti-O-Ti (624 cm^-1) bonds and C = C (1637 cm^-1) bonds of the TIRC-coated mask were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Raman spectra for TIRC nanocomposite also confirmed the presence of O-Ti-O bonds at peak 142 cm^-1, iodine molecules at peak 72 cm^-1, D band at 1354 cm^-1, and G bands at 1593 cm^-1. The TIRC coating improved the antibacterial properties of the mask with a zone of inhibition of 13.97 ± 0.14 mm and 13.12 ± 1.58 mm towards S. aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria, respectively. Moreover, the TIRC-coated mask exhibited 92.20 % methylene blue dye degradation efficiency under visible light. The TIRC exhibits effective photocatalyst properties, making it a promising candidate for a self-sterilizing coated mask.