Development of Antibacterial Cotton‐Black Viscose and Cotton‐Polyester Blended‐Knit Fabric Using Ag Doped ZnO Nanocomposite

ABSTRACT To the increasing demand for textiles that are both health‐conscious and environmentally friendly, this study investigates the production of antimicrobial textiles using a binder‐free, plasma‐assisted dip‐coating technique. Silver‐doped Zinc Oxide (Ag–ZnO) nanocomposites are synthesized and applied to cotton‐polyester (CVC) and cotton‐black viscose (CBV) blend‐knit fabrics. Silver doping reduced the ZnO crystallite size to 25.97 nm and modified its surface energy and growth characteristics. X‐ray diffraction confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO along with distinct silver peaks, verifying successful doping without structural distortion. FTIR analysis showed strong Zn─O and Ag─O bonding, while FESEM revealed uniform nanoparticle coverage (40–80 nm) across both fabric types. Antibacterial efficacy, tested via the Kirby‐Bauer disk diffusion method, showed inhibition zones of up to 17 mm for E. coli and 15 mm for S. aureus. Notably, significant antibacterial activity remained after 10 home laundering cycles with detergent. CFU demonstrated a potent antibacterial response against E. coli. Therefore, better tensile characteristics and sufficient elongation are found in the bundle fiber strength test, indicating increased comfort and durability. The enhanced comfort behavior and effective moisture management are further highlighted by the micro‐drop wicking test, which revealed superior moisture absorption and spreading ability.