Nano-cotton Fabrics with High Ultraviolet Protection

Ultraviolet resistant cotton fabrics were developed by coating with ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles. The ZnO nanoparticles applied on cotton yarns were found to withstand the knitting operation. Meanwhile, the TiO2 nanoparticles applied on the bleached as well as reactive dyed cotton fabrics by the sol-gel and linking agent methods were found to be intact after various cycles of domestic washing. Knitted fabrics containing ZnO nanoparticles showed moderate to high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) values, whereas 50+ UPF values were measured for the TiO2-coated samples. Further it was found that the rutile phase was better than anatase phase in blocking UV rays. The developed process can be easily adapted to the existing textile machinery, making it industrially viable. © 2010, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.