Smart Cotton Functionalized With Self-Implanted Palladium Nanopanicles: Full Ultraviolet Shielding Potency

Abstract Unique technique is currently demonstrated for preparation of ultraviolet protective cotton fabrics with full shielding effect, via self-implantation of palladium nanopanciles. Palladium (Pd) nanopanciles were in-situ immobilized within native & cationized cotton using two different concentrations of palladium precursor (20 & 60 mM) under strong acidic (pH 2) and basic (pH 11.5) media. Cationization (50% and 100%) of cotton fabrics was performed in order to increase the accessibility of fabric for controllable implantation of palladium nanopanciles. Size distribution of palladium nanopanciles in supernatant solution was estimated via Transmission electron microscopy to be 3.2 nm. The estimated data showed that the sample prepared with the highest cationization percent and highest concentration of palladium precursor in strong alkaline medium exhibited the highest yellowness index, color strength and excellent ultraviolet shielding effects. The yellowness index was significantly increased from 15.67 for cationized cotton to 74.99 for the sample prepared with the highest cationization percent and highest concentration of Pd+2 in alkaline medium (Pd-CC (100)4). Tensile strength was insignificantly decreased from 93.2 MPa for cationized cotton to 84.5 MPa for Pd-CC (100)4. Ultraviolet shielding effect was superiorly enhanced with implantation of palladium nanopanciles. The UV protection factor (UPF) was also excellency increased from 1.3 (insufficient) for native cotton to 256.6 (excellent) for Pd-CC (100)4.