US- Egypt Cooperative Research: Production and Application of Novel Insecticidal and Antimicrobal Textiles Using Atmospheric Plasmas and Irradiation Techniques

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0318758BourhamDescription: This award is to support a cooperative research project between Dr. Mohamed Bourham, Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University and Dr. Samiha Gawish, Textile Division, the National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt. The Investigators will study the production and applications of novel insecticidal and antimicrobal textiles using atmospheric plasmas and irradiation techniques. Irradiation, grafting, and plasma or chemical modification methods will be used for the formation of bioactive quatemary ammonium salts sites or other groups onto the textiles, without impairing the original mechanical properties. Three series of novel biocidal textiles will be synthesized: permanent moth proofed wool fabrics; insecticidal fabrics, which are resistant to blood-sucking insects; and antimicrobial fabrics. Biocidal textiles will be prepared from the available raw materials in the market, on a laboratory and pilot scales, and then transferred to the industry. The effectiveness of the antimicrobial finish, or wool resistance to insects and its durability to repeated washings or dry cleaning will be determined. Improvement of other related fibers properties such as the increase of moisture regain for synthetic fibers and increase of dye uptake will be measured. Biocidal textile production cost will be evaluated. Potential end-uses and fields of application will be identified. Elemental microanalysis and other tests, for characterization of the produced biocidal textiles, will be conducted, and the antimicrobial activity of the fabrics will be measured. Scope: Biocidal textiles are gaining in importance for combating the spread of fatal diseases. Methods of production and application of these textile materials need to be introduced to textile industries, for the near future production of novel biocidal textiles from non-woven or woven fabrics of natural, synthetic or blend of fibers. Research will be conducted in collaboration with scientists from the NRC of Egypt, where the textile industry is a leading industry in that country. The collaborators have complementary skills and expertise in detection techniques and in textile manufacturing. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.