Fabrication of smart textile bearing electrical conductivity, antibacterial, and UPF via silver nanoparticles loaded viscose fabric using sustainable grafted precursor

Purpose This study aims to fabricate silver nanoparticles with well-defined shape and size using a newly prepared and fully characterized poly(MAA)-rice straw graft copolymer, with a 54.7% graft yield derived from rice straw bio-waste. The latter is a cheap, innocuous, biodegradable, biocompatible and sustainable precursor characterized by an oxygen-rich structure via its carboxyl and hydroxyl groups that act as reducing and stabilizing agents for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) fabrication. Design/methodology/approach Poly(MAA)-rice straw graft copolymer having 54.8 graft yield % as precursor is used to fabricate AgNPs with well-known shape and size; then classified using our world-class facilities like UV-visible spectra, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermo gravimetric analysis and Zeta potential. This study was further extended to scrutinize the application of the so-prepared AgNPs after loading them into viscose fabric to fabricate smart technical textiles bearing electrical conductivity, antibacterial properties and ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) characteristics. Findings Classification of AgNPs was confirmed by the color change and UV-visible Surface Plasmon Resonance spectra at 418 nm. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed the carboxyl functional groups involved in synthesis. Transmission electron microscopy investigation disclosed some aggregation of the AgNPs, with sizes ranging from 5 to 40 nm, with an average particle size of 27.5 nm. The crystalline face-centered cubic phase nature was confirmed by X-ray diffraction; while the negative Zeta potential value −29.5 mV demonstrated good stability, and the higher thermal stability was recorded using thermo gravimetric analysis. According to the current exploration, a substantial increment in electrical conductivity equal 1.421 × 10–7Ω−1•m−1 and a higher antibacterial efficiency expressed as zone inhibition area equal 14.8 mm and 9.2 mm for gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive bacteria (Escherichia coli), respectively, in addition to good UPF equal 14.43 in comparison with the untreated one. Originality/value The innovation addressed here is undertaken by using a newly prepared and fully characterized sustainable and eco-friendly precursor for the fabrication of AgNPs with well-known shape and size; then loading it onto viscose fabric samples to fabricate smart technical textile bearing electrical conductivity, antibacterial and UPF.