Surface Engineering of PET Fabrics with TiO2 Nanoparticles for Enhanced Antibacterial and Thermal Properties in Medical Textiles

Medical textiles have gained significant attention for their ability to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases while ensuring the safety and comfort of healthcare professionals. This study focuses on modifying the surfaces of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance their antibacterial properties, thermophysiological comfort, and thermal insulation. The effects of varying volumes of the tetraisopropyl orthotitanate precursor on the functional properties of the coated PET fabrics were systematically investigated. The surface morphology was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At the same time, the elemental and chemical properties were analyzed through Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The TiO2 NPs-coated PET fabrics demonstrated exceptional antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and significantly improved thermophysiological comfort. Specifically, thermal resistance increased with a higher density of TiO2 nanoparticles, leading to a decrease in thermal conductivity. Notably, only minimal reductions were observed in relative water vapor permeability (RWVP) and air permeability (AP), indicating that the fabric’s porosity was maintained. Furthermore, the presence of the TiO2 nanolayer on the PET fabric significantly enhanced its thermal stability, providing excellent thermal insulation properties. These findings underscore the potential of TiO2 NPs-coated PET fabrics as promising candidates for advanced medical textile applications, where a balance of protection, comfort, and thermal insulation is essential.