Biofabricated CuO Nanoparticle Reinforced Bamboo Fiber Coatings for Photocatalytic Antimicrobial and Superhydrophobic Biomedical Textile Applications
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 15, No 2 (June 2026) pp. 330-343
Abstract
Controlling the physicochemical and functional properties of green-synthesized CuO nanoparticles remains a significant challenge for antimicrobial textile applications. This study investigated the influence of wet-chemical, hydrothermal, and sonication-assisted synthesis methods on the performance of CuO nanoparticles prepared using Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaf extract. Among the investigated methods, hydrothermal synthesis produced CuO nanoparticles with enhanced crystallinity and an average crystallite size of 54.2 nm. These nanoparticles exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation efficiency (~95%), stronger antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (21.1 mm) and Escherichia coli (21.0 mm), and lower defect density compared with those synthesized by other methods. The optimized nanoparticles were incorporated into a chitosan coating and applied to bamboo fabric. The coated fabrics demonstrated superhydrophobic behavior with a water contact angle of 157 ± 0.1° and excellent antibacterial performance, achieving inhibition zones of 21 ± 1.1 mm (≈96%) against E. coli and 30.1 ± 1.1 mm (≈99%) against S. aureus. The enhanced performance was attributed to improved crystallinity, reduced defect density, favorable surface morphology, and effective nanoparticle dispersion. The study demonstrates the significant influence of synthesis conditions on CuO nanoparticle performance and highlights their potential for developing antimicrobial and water-repellent bamboo-based textiles for biomedical and protective applications.
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