Multifunctional acrylic fibers prepared via in-situ formed silver nanoparticles: Physicochemical, UV radiation protection, and antistatic properties

A single treatment that makes textiles multifunctional is very attractive to the textile chemical processors. In this study, multifunctional acrylic fibers were produced by in situ forming silver (Ag) nanoparticles at various concentrations of Ag and trisodium citrate (TSC). The exhaustion of silver into acrylic fibers and the reduction of Ag to Ag nanoparticles were carried out at 90 °C, well above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of this fiber in water. The effect of the concentration of Ag, Ag to TSC ratio, pH, and reaction time on the color strength, ultraviolet (UV) radiation absorption, surface electrical resistance and mechanical properties of the treated fibers were systematically investigated. It was found that if the concentration of Ag was less than 1% on the weight of acrylic fibers or the Ag to TSC ratio was less than 1:2, no color was produced. The color strength and UV radiation absorption capacity of the treated acrylic fibers increased with an increase in the concentration of Ag, and Ag to TSC ratio, and also with a decrease in the pH. On the other hand, the surface resistance of the treated acrylic fibers decreased with an increase in the concentration of Ag and a decrease in the treatment pH. The treated fibers showed excellent antibacterial activity, UV radiation absorption capacity, and also very good antistatic properties along with an excellent colorfastness to washing. Moreover, the developed treatment is highly durable to washing as after 20 washes the treated fibers lost their antibacterial activity only marginally.