Medical textiles based on viscose rayon fabrics coated with chitosan-encapsulated iodine: antibacterial and antioxidant properties

Abstract

Adsorption of chitosan nanoparticles with embedded iodine was implemented onto pristine and oxidized cellulose viscose fabrics in order to introduce antimicrobial and antioxidative functionalization. The adsorption capacity, charging behavior and electrokinetic response of differently functionalized viscose at different pH values were analyzed by determining their zeta potential. Desorption studies, besides zeta potential measurements, were supported by polyelectrolyte titration. Finally, the antimicrobial properties were evaluated by the standard ASTM E2149 method, whilst antioxidative properties were determined by 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation decolorization assay. It was found that the oxidation of viscose fabrics further modified by chitosan–iodine nanoparticles dispersion was a very promising functionalization process, providing good coating stability along with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.