Facile preparation and activity of polymeric-composite-coated antimicrobial textile

Abstract With the increasing demand for large-area antimicrobial textiles, particularly following the pandemic, it is crucial to develop cost-effective and facile textile coating methods. This study aimed to develop antimicrobial textiles using a polymeric composite applied through simple solution-coating methods, such as dipping and roll-to-roll processes. By incorporating a citric acid solubilizer and Cu(II) electrophiles, the antimicrobial effectiveness of chitosan-coated textiles was enhanced due to the synergistic effect of their inherent antimicrobial properties via the formation of crosslinked complexes. The chitosan–citrate–copper polymeric composites exhibited scalability for roll-to-roll PET coatings and over 99.9% antibacterial efficiency against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . The roll-to-roll PET coating also showed significant effectiveness against Influenza A, reducing it by 99.895%. This facile antimicrobial coating process, which avoids chemical modification and prolonged immersion, offers advantages for the mass production of antimicrobial textiles in related industries.