Modification of cotton fabric using a three-component Ag/TiO2/g-C3N4 composite to improve protection against UV radiation

Abstract

In this study, the chemical modification of cotton fabric to develop UV-protective properties is presented. For this purpose, TiO2 and a three-component Ag/TiO2/g-C3N4 composite were synthesised ex-situ and were applied to cotton fabric using a pad–dry–cure method. The presence of the composite on the cotton fibres was detected using the SEM, EDS and FTIR methods and with a digital microscope. The results show that the application of TiO2 increased the UV protection of the cotton fabric compared with the untreated fabric. The combination of TiO2 with Ag and g-C3N4 in the composite further improved the UV protection of the cotton fabric, as the absorption in the UVA range increased significantly. This resulted in a large increase in the UPF value, placing the cotton fabric in the excellent protection category. This proves the cumulative effect of the components in the composite.