Abstract

Chitra Manoharan^1,2, Venckatesh Rajendran² and Rajeshwari Sivaraj²

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/340319

ZnO/TiO₂/SiO₂ (ZTS) nanocomposite was synthesized using microwave assisted sol-gel method and characterized using UV–Visible spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, EDX, FT-IR and TEM analysis. XRD results showed the crystallite in anatase phase. FT-IR reports bands that appeared at 1108 and 862 cm^-1which shows the formation of Si-O-Si and Zn-O-Ti bonds. SEM and EDX analysis showed the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticle with the TiO₂/SiO₂ nanocomposite which increase the separation of electron-hole pairs and can enhance in photocatalytic activity on methylene blue dye under sunlight irradiation. Ultrasound irradiation was applied for the impregnation of ZTS nanocomposite with homogeneous distribution on cotton fabrics. The antibacterial activities of the ZTS impregnated cotton fabrics observed against Escherichia coli (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) cultures was significant. The effectiveness of fabric treatment is assessed by excellent Ultraviolet protection factor (UPF).

Nanocomposite; Microwave Irradiation; X-ray Diffraction; SEM; TEM; Antibacterial Activity

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