Development of antimicrobial leather modified with Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles for footwear industry

Abstract

[Excerpt] The proposed work aims to functionalize leathers for footwear industry with antimicrobial properties based on Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles. The synthesis of nanoparticles was carried out through an innovative and optimized method. This hydrothermal method is simple and inexpensive and prepares well crystalline materials. The structural characteristics were evaluated by X-ray powder diffraction and the results showed that the TiO2 nanoparticles are in the anatase phase, with dimensions below 10 nm. Leather samples were functionalized with TiO2 and Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles, and it was possible to prove that these nanoparticles do not change the surface chemical composition of the leathers. These results were achieved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy which showed the maintenance of characteristic chemical bands of leathers (-CH3 stretching vibration). [...]