Antifungal characteristics of warp-knitted cotton fabrics treated with various metal complexes

This study investigates the antifungal properties of warp-knitted cotton fabrics treated with metal-based compounds containing sodium tetrahydroxocuprate (Cu), silver diamine (Ag), and sodium zincate (Zn), synthesised via novel, efficient methods designed to reduce processing complexity and cost. Treatments were applied at concentrations of 0.5% and 1%, and antifungal efficacy was assessed against Candida albicans over 28 days. Surface morphology and chemical composition analyses were conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results revealed uniform particle distribution on fabric surfaces. It was found that Cu-based particles tended to accumulate more densely and demonstrated stronger adhesion on the yarn surfaces. In contrast, in comparison, this effect became gradually weaker in the samples containing Ag and Zn particles. Antifungal testing demonstrated that Cu-treated fabrics exhibited the highest reduction in fungal load, achieving a 4 log10 (10,000-fold) decrease at 1% concentration by day 7, with sustained activity through day 28. Ag treatments resulted in up to a 3.04 log10 reduction, while Zn treatments showed reductions up to 3.22 log10 at 1%. The 1% metal complex concentration consistently outperformed 0.5% across all metals. Findings highlight Cu compounds as particularly effective for healthcare textiles due to rapid and robust antifungal activity, whereas Ag and Zn compounds offer stable, long-term protection.