5 TH TEXTEH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Bucharest, Romania, October 18-19, 2012 AG/TIO 2 NANOCOMPOSITE ON COTTON FABRIC AMINODDIN HAJI 1 , HOSSEIN BARANI 2 AND SAYED SADRODDIN QAVAMNIA 1 1 Textile Engineering Department, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran 2 University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran E-mail: Ahaji@iaubir.ac.ir Keywords: Silver, Nanoparticle, TiO 2 , Cotton, Nanocomposite Abstract: Cotton fiber can act as a template to stabilize and control the growth of silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized on cotton fibers by in situ method in presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles. Sodium Hypophosphite (SHP) (NaPO 2 H 2 ) was used as a reducing agent. The surface of loaded cotton fabric was characterized by low voltage scanning electron microscopy, and attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The cotton fabrics loaded with Ag/TiO 2 nanocomposite at different TiO 2 nanoparticles concentrations were examined by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), and atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). In addition, the yellowness index was measured to study the yellowing effect of the process. The presence of white TiO 2 nanoparticles enhanced the properties of loaded cotton fabric and reduced the yellowness index of cotton fabrics loaded with silver nanoparticles. 1 INTRODUCTION Fabrication of functionalized textiles by applying nanoparticles is an interesting approach for surface modification of textiles [1-5]. As means of creating new properties a considerable amount of research has been carried out for immobilization of various nanoparticles on textile materials, while each of these nanomaterials is able to provide special eects. Among of them, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used to create antibacterial properties because of their wide-spectrum antibacterial activity [6-10]. Especially, Ag exhibits non-toxicity to human cells when it is used in a reasonable amount [11]. Several methods have been applied for synthesizing silver nanoparticles [12]. The synthesis methods of nanosilver must correspond to its application in order to obtain antimicrobial fabric with a broad antibacterial spectrum, strong antibacterial activity, short action time, and good washing fastness [13]. Silver nanoparticles can be deposited on the textile surface substrate by various coating methods or can be absorbed by exhaustion method. In addition, it is possible to synthesize silver nanoparticles on textile substrate by in situ method [6, 11, 14-16]. Cotton fiber contains hydroxyl groups on its molecular structure which is able bind to positive charged species of organic or inorganic materials. The presence of these characteristic groups makes them ideal for the selective binding of metal ions. Therefore, the cotton fibers' hydroxyl groups can be a suitable template to grow metal nanoparticles. 7