Non-Woven Fabrics Based on Nanocomposite Nylon 6/ZnO Obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extrusion for Improved Antimicrobial and Adsorption Methylene Blue Dye Properties

Approximately 200,000 tons of water contaminated with dyes are discharged into effluents annually, which in addition to infectious diseases constitute problems that afflict the population worldwide. This study evaluated the mechanical properties, surface structure, antimicrobial performance, and methylene blue dye-contaminant adsorption using the non-woven fabrics manufactured by melt-blowing. The non-woven fabrics are composed of nylon 6 (Ny 6) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). The polymer nanocomposites were previously fabricated using variable frequency ultrasound assisted-melt-extrusion to be used in melt-blowing. Energy dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) images showed a homogeneous dispersion of the ZnO nanoparticles in nylon 6. The mechanical properties of the composites increased by adding ZnO compared to the nylon 6 matrix, and sample Ny/ZnO 0.5 showed the best mechanical performance. All fabric samples exhibited antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and fungus C. albicans, and the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles significantly improved this property compared to pure nylon 6. The absorption efficiency of methylene blue (MB), during 60 min, for the samples Ny/ZnO 0.05 and Ny/ZnO 0.25 wt%, were 93% and 65%, respectively. The adsorption equilibrium data obeyed the Langmuir isotherm.