Investigation of antibacterial activitiy of ALD coated polyamide fabrics

In this study, antibacterial performance of ALD thin film coated Polyamide 66 fabrics were analysed. Fabric, glass, fused quartz, Si wafer samples coated with TiO2 and ZnO metal oxides thin films were characterized by using ellipsometer, FTIR, SEM, UV-Vis, XPS characterization methods. Photocatalytic activity determinations of TiO2 and ZnO thin film coated fabric samples were determined by methylene blue degradation. As a result of the tests performed under the solar simulator, TiO2 did not show photocatalytic effect due to its amorphous structure. In the ZnO coated sample, decrease in methylene blue concentration was observed after 4 hours of irradiation. Consequently of the antibacterial tests, it was observed that bacterial growth on the sample surfaces of the fabric samples coated with TiO2 was slowed down, but the antibacterial effect was limited to the fabric surface. ZnO coated fabrics were showed the antibacterial activity for S.aureus bacteria in dark and light conditions. It is also thought that the factor that negatively affects bacterial viability is the Zn2+ ions released from the ZnO film. According to the data obtained from qualitative tests, it was concluded that the antibacterial activity increased with the increase in film thickness, too.