Hydrothermally Engineered Zeolite X–Cotton Composites with Silver Ion Exchange for Effective Antibacterial Applications

An effective and easily recoverable antibacterial material was developed by directly immobilizing ion-exchanged zeolite crystals ( 2 - 3 µm ) onto cotton fabric via a precisely controlled hydrothermal and ion-exchange process. Structural characterization using XRD, SEM, and BET confirmed the successful formation of highly crystalline zeolite X (Si/Al ratio ≈ 1.5) with a high specific surface area of 737 m^2/g, while TGA indicated an optimal zeolite loading of 2 wt% on the cotton fibers. Antibacterial functionality was introduced through ion exchange with Ag+and Cu2+, with the Ag+-modified composite exhibiting superior performance: complete eradication (100% reduction) of E. coli within 24 hours (colony counting assay) and a 15 mm inhibition zone (disk diffusion test), markedly outperforming both Cu2+-modified and untreated samples. This work offers valuable insight into the structure-property relationships of zeolite-textile hybrid materials and highlights their practical potential for applications in water disinfection and medical textiles.