Daylight Bactericidal Titania Textiles: A Contribution to Nosocomial Infections Control

Daylight bactericidal cotton (100% cotton) textiles are presented and proposed for future hospital use. Amorphous titania (a-TiO(2)) and amorphous titania/chitosan complexes (a-TiO(2)//CS) were the selected bactericidal agents. Nanoparticles (NPs) and films were the two paths designed. Cotton textiles were impregnated with a-TiO(2)-based NPs or coated with a-TiO(2) films. Industrial impregnation/coating will be implemented during the textile finishing treatments. A novel (room temperature and base-catalyzed), green (hydrothermal water as a catalyst), time-saving, and easy scale-up sol–gel process was established to produce the a-TiO(2)-based NPs. Amorphous-TiO(2) films were produced by a dip-in (acid catalyzed) sol–gel solution. The daylight bactericidal performance (without the need of an external ultraviolet light source) of a-TiO(2) NPs, films, and impregnated/coated textiles was proven according to AATCC 100 and ASTM E2149, using Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC(®)6538(TM)) as the bacterial indicator strain. A bacterial reduction of 99.97% was achieved for the a-TiO(2) films and of 99.97% for the a-TiO(2)//CS NPs. Regarding the impregnated textiles, a bacterial reduction of 91.66% was achieved with a-TiO(2)//CS NPs, and 99.97% for cotton textiles coated with an a-TiO(2) film.