The Effect of Polydopamine on an Ag-Coated Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabric

A practical method for preparing multifunctional polypropylene (PP) nonwoven fabrics with excellent stability and durability was explored. First, the PP nonwoven fabric was sputtered by a magnetron sputtering system to form an Ag film on the surface of the fabric. Subsequently, the coated fabric was treated with dopamine. The fabrics were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), electrical conductivity, electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE), antibacterial activity, stability, and laundering durability. The results of the study revealed that the fabric was coated with Ag, and after the treatment with dopamine, the surfaces of Ag-coated fibers were coated with polydopamine (PDA). The fabrics still had a sheet resistance below ~15 Ω/sq and exhibited excellent EMI SE above ~25 dB, though few differences existed from the single Ag-coated sample. After the treatment with dopamine, the antibacterial activity of the fabric was enhanced. Meanwhile, the treated samples exhibited excellent resistance against sodium sulfide corrosion, which could enhance the stability of the Ag-coated fabric. Moreover, the laundering durability of the treated fabric was improved in the same process, whose lowest sheet resistance was ~18 Ω/sq and the EMI SE was ~8 dB more than single Ag-coated PP nonwoven fabrics. In conclusion, this method was considered to be effective in fabricating multifunctional, stable, and durable fabrics.