Nanosized ZIF-8 based odor adsorbing and antimicrobial finish for polyester fabrics

Effective odor control in textiles requires two approaches to be implemented simultaneously. One is the ability to adsorb body odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the microclimate between the skin and the textile layer, and the other is the ability of the textile to kill and prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria. However, most of the finishes use one of the two approaches, which lowers the efficacy of the finish. In this work, we have reported the use of Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks, viz. ZIF-8 nanoparticles (NPs), which, when applied to polyester fabrics, serve a dual purpose of both adsorbing the odor and imparting antimicrobial activity. ZIF-8 NPs with an average size of ∼60 nm were synthesized by a water-based procedure at ambient temperature and applied in small concentrations on PET fabric using a commercial binder. The ZIF-8 functionalized polyester fabric (ZIF-8@PET Fabric) was characterized for its morphology and functionality. The fabrics were found to adsorb high concentrations of three odor-causing model compounds, such as isovaleric acid, indole, and nonenal, and could effectively inhibit the bacterial growth of E. coli and S. aureus. Further, the fabric functionality was retained even after several wash cycles and could be reused repeatedly.