Improvement in properties of cotton fabric through synthesized nano-chitosan application

14-21<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";letter-spacing:-.1pt;mso-bidi-font-style:="" italic"="" lang="EN-GB">In this paper, the study on synthesis, characterization and application of nano-chitosan on cotton fabric has been reported. The nano-chitosan treated fabrics are then tested for appearance, tensile, absorbency, stiffness, dyeing behaviour, wrinkle recovery and antibacterial properties. Low molecular weight chitosans are prepared by nitrous acid hydrolysis method; the molecular weights are determined viscometrically. Nano-chitosans are synthesized by ionic gelation of pentasodium tripolyphosphate and chitosan, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">and then characterized by particle size determination. The fabric samples are pretreated with normal and nano-chitosan solutions by pad-dry-cure technique. <span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: " times="" new="" roman";letter-spacing:-.1pt;mso-bidi-language:ta"="" lang="EN-GB">The surface morphology of treated cotton fabric has been studied by SEM analysis. The treated fabrics have also been dyed and their whiteness, yellowness and brightness indices are evaluated. <span style="font-size: 9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";letter-spacing:-.1pt;mso-bidi-language:="" ta"="" lang="EN-GB">It is found that the particle size and polydispersity of chitosan in solution are affected by the variation in molecular weight. The dye uptake and wash fastness of nano-chitosan treated fabrics are found to be improved. An enhanced antibacterial property is observed with the reduction of nano-chitosan particles and when coupled with nano silver colloid.