Bacteriostasis and Skin Innoxiousness of Nanosize Silver Colloids on Textile Fabrics

Abstract

This research deals with the bacteriostasis and the skin-innoxiousness of a nanosize silver colloidal solution used as an agent for the antibacterial treatment of textile fabrics. We placed nanosize silver colloidal solutions and the textile fabrics treated with the same solutions on germ-containing agar plates, respectively, and calculated the bacterial reduction after certain contact times to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of nanosilver in colloidal solutions and textile fabrics. The antibacterial treatment of textile fabrics was easily achieved by using nanosize silver colloidal solution. The result of skin-irritation testing of a nanosilver colloidal solution showed the skin-innoxiousness of nanosilver to animals. The TEM observation of silver nanoparticles showed their shape and size distribution. The SEM image of the treated fabric indicated silver nanoparticles were well dispersed on the fabric surface.