Electrostatic coating of cashmere guard hair powder to fabrics: Silver ion loading and antibacterial properties

Cashmere guard hair was milled into fine powder and the powder was coated onto a polyester fabric using an electrostatic powder coating technique. The powder coated fabric appeared uniform and glossy with a thick pack of deposited power particles. Silver ions were subsequently loaded onto the powder coated fabric through a solution based absorption process. The effect of solution pH value and initial concentration of silver ions on the Ag+ absorption and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) was examined. Silver ions were effectively loaded on cashmere guard hair powder at alkaline conditions. Loading Ag+ from a solution having a high initial silver concentration to powder coated fabric was found to enhance the durability of antibacterial function against washing. In addition, the powder coating reduced the fabric permeability to air and water.