A review on comparative analysis of antimicrobial activity of different metal and metal oxide nanoparticle-based fabric

Abstract

Nanoparticles have managed to revolutionize many different sectors and industries, such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, electrical appliances, agriculture, food, biosensors, etc. Nanoparticles have also successfully proven its ability to coat textiles and thus impart antimicrobial properties onto the fabrics. This review concerns with antimicrobial activity of fabrics coated with nanoparticles of metals and metal oxides, namely silver, copper oxide, zinc oxide and titanium oxide, using various different methods of synthesis, modification and subsequent coating. Descriptive comparative analysis of the antimicrobial efficiency, durability and economic factors between the four nanoparticles suggest that copper oxide nanoparticles have the most promising activity as impregnating material for textiles, owing to its broad-spectrum antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity. There is scope for further research on the antiviral efficiency of copper oxide nanoparticles, particularly against coronaviruses or surrogate coronaviruses, especially during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.