Construction of multifunctional UV-resistant, antibacterial and photothermal cotton fabric via silver/melanin-like nanoparticles

As a kind of melanin-like nanoparticles, poly(levodopa) nanoparticles have abundant reactive catechol groups, which provide the basis for the structure design of melanin-like nanoparticles. In this work, we synthesized silver/melanin-like nanoparticles (Ag-SMNPs) using a one-step method. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the chemical structures of Ag-SMNPs were not only loaded with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), but also formed a complex structure with silver ions. Ag-SMNPs-modified fabrics (Ag-SMNPs@Cotton) had demonstrated excellent anti-ultraviolet radiation, photothermal, and antibacterial properties. UV protection levels of the modified fabrics had reached UPF50 + , and their surface temperatures had exceeded 100 °C when irradiated by a Xenon lamp for 1 min. As for the antibacterial activity, the survival rates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) on the surface of the modified fabrics were 1.94% and 5.92%, respectively, when the fabrics were irradiated by Xenon lamp for 10 min. Without Xenon lamp irradiation, the survival rates on the modified fabrics were 3.35% and 2.53% for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, when bacteria were in contact with the fabric for 6 h. Additionally, the modified fabrics also maintained an outstanding air and moisture permeability. Multifunctional melanin-like nanoparticles provide a new option for material modification.