Calcium chloride treated highly elastane cotton fabrics as antibacterial, comfortable and environmentally friendly materials

Abstract

In the paper, the results of experiments on high elastane cotton crochet warp knitting fabrics treated with different calcium chloride solutions by the pad-dry-cure method have been reported. The tests for evaluating the antibacterial activity, thermophysiological comfort properties, physical performance of the samples were performed. In addition, the characterization analyses, including SEM, EDX, FTIR-attenuated total reflectance (ATR), and XRD, afforded indications of the good crosslinking of the CaCl2 onto the cotton/elastane samples. At a higher degree of activity, the calcium-chloride-treated fabrics were rated as having good antibacterial activity, being exceptionally breathable, and being comfortable with good physical properties such as stiffness, handle, and whiteness properties.