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Article

Plasma-Induced Amino HBP/Ag Nanoparticle-Grafted PP Melt-Blown Nonwoven Fabric and Its Antibacterial Performance

by
Hongxia Chen
1,2,
Wei Zhang
3,
Weidong Gao
1 and
Guangyu Zhang
3,*
1
College of Textile Science and Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
2
School of Textile and Fashion, Jiangsu College of Engineering and Technology, Nantong 226007, China
3
School of Textile and Clothing, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Coatings 2025, 15(8), 947; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080947
Submission received: 29 June 2025 / Revised: 27 July 2025 / Accepted: 4 August 2025 / Published: 13 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress on Functional Films and Surface Science)
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Versions Notes

Abstract

In this work, polypropylene (PP) melt-blown nonwoven fabric was used as a raw material, which was plasma-treated and grafted with HBP/Ag nanoparticle (NP) solution. The surface wettability, surface morphology, and surface element composition after the treatment were evaluated through a contact angle test, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The antibacterial activity of PP fabrics treated with Ag NPs against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was measured. SEM and EDS results showed that Ag NPs were evenly dispersed on the surface of the PP fabrics. The PP fabrics treated with Ag NPs exhibited excellent antibacterial performance.

Graphical Abstract

1. Introduction

As the bacterial pandemic rapidly disseminates on a global scale, the ongoing outbreak has significantly accelerated the development of high-performance air filtration systems. Polypropylene (PP) is a polyolefin that is regarded as the primary layer of air filters due to its remarkable chemical resistance, high tensile strength, and low moisture absorption. It has garnered significant attention during the ongoing pandemic. One of the most common applications of PP is as a raw material for fibers and nonwoven fabrics [1,2,3]. The manufacturing processes for PP nonwoven fabrics encompass two primary methods: the melt-blown and spun bond techniques. These processes have found application in a diverse range of products, including surgical materials, hygiene products such as diapers and sanitary napkins, and personal protective equipment like masks [4]. Furthermore, PP materials have found extensive application in a variety of fields, including construction engineering, healthcare, agriculture, and forestry protection. This widespread utilization can be attributed to their remarkable mechanical properties, notable chemical resistance, thermal stability, and cost-effectiveness [5,6]. However, PP lacks functional polar groups, resulting in hydrophobic properties [7]. However, the hydrophobicity of PP hinders its application in the field of biomedical functional materials, significantly impeding the development of PP-based functional materials [8].
A substantial body of research has been dedicated to the study of the surface modification of PP. This research encompasses a wide range of methodologies, including chemical methods such as acid etching/oxidation, impregnation, and coating, as well as physical methods including grafting and plasma treatment [9,10,11,12,13,14]. Among these methods, plasma treatment is regarded as the most promising polymer surface modification technology because it does not utilize hazardous chemicals or additives [15]. Plasma effects, including surface modification through activation, grafting, and etching phenomena, have been found to have significant practical applications in many different fields [16]. In this study, an environmentally attractive alternative method using organic solvents is compared to traditional chemical grafting methods that impart the desired permanent hydrophilicity. The low-temperature plasma surface activation of PP nonwoven fabrics is a process in which polar molecular fragments affecting wettability and free radicals serving as reactive species for graft polymerization reactions form on the surface layer of the fabric fibers. Plasma surface activation facilitates the implementation of water-based, catalyst-free grafting solutions, which substantially enhance hydrophilicity and adhesion without compromising substrate performance, ensuring optimal operability and environmental sustainability [17,18]. As the duration of processing is increased, micro-nanostructures emerge on the PP surface, resulting in a substantial decrease in the water contact angle and the manifestation of superhydrophilic properties.
Jaleh et al. [19] applied an oxygen-based dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) spray system to treat PP membranes. The results demonstrated that the membranes exhibited a transition to a superhydrophilic state following O2 plasma treatment. Leone et al. [15] investigated the effect of nitrogen plasma exposure time on the final properties of PP-based composite laminates. The objective of this investigation was to improve their interfacial adhesion in flax fiber fabrics. In comparison with untreated fabric laminates, flax fiber samples that underwent a 15-min treatment exhibited enhanced adhesion between hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers. Cernakova et al. [7] investigated whether atmospheric pressure plasma treatment using surface medium blocking in N2 could more effectively activate the surface of PP nonwoven fabrics. The findings of the study demonstrated that plasma-activated samples grafted with a catalyst-free acrylic acid aqueous solution exhibited enhanced water transmission and dyeing performance.
Ag NPs have garnered significant attention due to their antibacterial activity and broad-spectrum biological activity. Extensive research has been conducted to develop antibacterial textiles [20,21,22,23,24]. In the majority of cases, the application of silver nanoparticles in the modification of textile material surfaces is primarily categorized into three distinct categories: physical adsorption, chemical reduction, and surface modification. At present, a variety of studies on the preparation of silver-containing antimicrobial textiles have employed physical adsorption methods. In essence, pre-synthesized silver nanoparticles are deposited onto fibers via processes such as pad–dry–pad, impregnation, or spraying [24,25,26]. However, these methods exhibit low adhesion/absorption of nanoparticles on fibers, which limits their uniform deposition [24]. In comparison with physical adsorption, the surface modification of PP substrates and the in situ synthesis of nanoparticles on fibers/fabrics are regarded as promising methods due to their capacity to achieve uniform deposition and enhance the adsorption value of nanoparticles on fibers [27,28,29].
The molecular structure of PP is primarily composed of carbon–hydrogen bonds and lacks strong polar groups, resulting in strong chemical inertness. The adhesion of functional materials to the substrate surface is a challenging process. In this research, both the combined treatment of DBD plasma and Ag NPs were synergistically used to add electret and antibacterial activity to PP melt-blown nonwoven fabric. The surface morphology and chemical composition were analyzed. The characterization of the produced PP fabric was conducted using FE-SEM and FT-IR to ascertain its structure. Furthermore, the material’s hydrophilicity and antibacterial activity were subjected to additional evaluation.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Materials

PP melt-blown nonwoven fabrics (50 g/m2) were provided by Kingsafe Nonwoven Technology Co., Ltd. (Huzhou, China). The PP fabric must undergo a thorough cleansing process to ensure the removal of water-soluble impurities. This step involves a 10 min wash with deionized water, followed by an ultrasonic cleaning in anhydrous ethanol for a duration of 20 min. This procedure is essential for the elimination of organic impurities. Subsequent to these steps, the sample undergoes a drying process in an oven maintained at a temperature of 60 °C for a duration of 2 h.
HBP/Ag NPs (amino-modified) were prepared as described in our previous paper with a concentration of 100 mg/L [30]. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 6538) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 8099) were obtained from the Shanghai Luwei Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China).

2.2. Preparation of Ag NP-Grafted PP Fabrics

APP-350 atmospheric pressure DBD plasma treatment equipment (Institute of Microelectronics, Beijing, China) was utilized to treat the PP nonwoven fabric with plasma. The fabric was positioned between two parallel plates, with a 2 mm gap between the quartz glass layer and the grounded electrode. The treatment time for argon plasma (flow rate: 1 L/min) was 10, 20, 30, and 70 s, respectively. The primary power supply furnished an input of 200 volts and 50 hertz to the high-voltage step-up transformer. The PP nonwoven fabric, which had just undergone DBD plasma pretreatment, was immersed in a Ag NP solution with a bath ratio of 40:1 and soaked in a constant-temperature water bath at 50 °C for 60 min. Subsequently, the samples were rinsed with deionized water to remove physically adhered chitosan solution and dried in an oven at 45 °C for 2 h.

2.3. Characterization of Ag NP-Coated PP Fabric

The wettability of the fabric is determined by measuring the water contact angle using the stable contact angle analyzer (JC2000A, Baoliqi Digital Equipment, Shenzhen, China) with the sessile drop method. It is imperative to note that each reported contact angle is the mean of a minimum of 15 distinct measurements, obtained at a minimum of five separate locations. The surface morphology of PP nonwoven fabric was observed using an optical microscope and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM, Scios Dual-Beam, Czech Republic) equipped with an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS, Carl Zeiss, EVO15, Oberkochen). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, AXIS SUPRA, Shimadzu, Japan) was used to analyze the PP fabric before and after modification. The tensile breaking strength of the fabric was determined through measurement utilizing a YG026B electronic fabric strength tester (Ningbo Textile Instruments, Ningbo, China). The fabric was meticulously divided into 5 cm by 25 cm segments, with a clamping length of 15 cm and a tensile velocity of 100 mm per minute. The experimental samples were measured five times, and the mean value was calculated. The surface morphology of treated and untreated PP fabrics was studied using an attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (ATR-FTIR, IS5, Nicoletrum, Madison, WI, USA). The ATR-FTIR spectra were subsequently analyzed within the wavenumber range of 4000 to 500 cm−1. The antibacterial activity of Ag NP-coated PP fabrics against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated using the shaking flask method in accordance with the GB/T 20944.3-2008 (China) standard [30]. The inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP, Varian, Lake Forest, CA, USA) was used to test the silver content; each sample was measured three times and the average value was taken.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Mechanism of Plasma Treatment

DBD plasma treatment of PP fabric was conducted using an atmospheric pressure DBD system, as illustrated in Figure 1. The high-energy plasma, composed of electrons, ions, and free radicals, bombards the PP fabric surface, effectively decomposing organic contaminants and achieving surface cleaning. Simultaneously, reactive plasma species (e.g., O, OH, and N) interact with the PP fibers, introducing polar functional groups such as -COOH, -OH, and -NH2. This surface modification increases the fabric’s surface energy, thereby enhancing its wettability and adhesion properties [31,32].

3.2. Surface Wettability Testing of the PP Fabric

The contact angle of a liquid on a fabric surface reflects the fabric’s affinity or repellency toward the liquid. A smaller contact angle indicates that the liquid spreads more on the solid surface, suggesting that the solid surface is highly hydrophilic and thus prone to liquid adhesion. We also performed contact angle tests on plasma-treated fabrics [32,33]. As shown in Figure 2, the plasma treatment time influences the initial contact angle between the PP fabric and water. With an increasing treatment time, the sample’s contact angle gradually decreases, and its hydrophilicity strengthens. This occurs because the number of surface free radicals on the PP nonwoven fabric increases continuously during the treatment, enhancing its hydrophilicity. Even after only 20 s of plasma treatment, water droplets can fully wet the fabric within 10 s of contact.

3.3. Breaking Strength of the PP Fabric

This study investigated the effect of plasma high-energy treatment on the mechanical properties of PP fabric, with a focus on analyzing the relationship between treatment time and fabric tensile strength. The experimental results in Figure 3 demonstrated that the untreated blank fabric exhibited an initial tensile strength of 16.9 N. However, the fabric strength demonstrated a significant decreasing trend after undergoing plasma treatment. As the duration of the treatment increases, the observed degradation in material strength becomes more pronounced, particularly when the treatment duration exceeds 70 s. At this point, a significant decrease in mechanical properties is evident, with the fabric strength dropping to 13.4 N. This decline in mechanical properties is primarily attributed to the etching effect on the material surface during the plasma treatment process [34]. In order to maintain mechanical properties while achieving surface modification effects, this study selected samples that had been treated for 50 s with plasma. These samples were then used for subsequent surface finishing and characterization experiments.

3.4. Mechanism of Impregnation Finishing

Figure 4 shows how Ag NPs can form on the surface of PP fabric during the manufacturing process. The PP fabric undergoes plasma treatment. The untreated PP fibers lack active groups. Plasma treatment introduces hydroxyl and carboxyl groups to the PP surface, facilitating the grafting of amino Ag NPs [35]. These groups can then interact with amino in hyperbranched polymers via hydrogen and covalent bonds, enhancing adhesion between the PP fabric surface and shell hyperbranched polymer molecules.

3.5. Characterization of Ag NP-Coated PP Fabric

As demonstrated in Figure 5a, the initial PP fabric exhibits a smooth and pristine surface, with minimal impurities adsorbed at the surface level. Subsequent to plasma treatment, as seen in Figure 5b, the PP fabric undergoes substantial alterations, with its surface becoming rough. Following the application of Ag NPs (Figure 5c), the surface of the fabric exhibits a uniform distribution of particles. This finding suggests that following DBD plasma treatment, Ag NPs can be adsorbed onto the surface of PP fibers.
To further elucidate the distribution of Ag NPs on PP fabrics, a series of EDS analyses were conducted on the treated samples, and the results are shown in Figure 6. The EDS analysis results revealed the elemental composition of the sample surfaces. PP fabric samples revealed only C and O elements. In contrast, samples treated with Ag NPs exhibited additional peaks, including C, O, and Ag elements. The introduction of a substantial number of functional groups to the sample surface augmented its reactivity, resulting in the adsorption of the surface.
Further EDS surface analysis of the plasma-treated PP fabric revealed the elemental distribution after Ag NP deposition, and the results are shown in Figure 7. The treated surface exhibited three dominant elements: C, O, and Ag. The uniform dispersion of Ag NPs across the PP fabric confirmed the successful application of the treatment.
The treated PP fabric was characterized by the FTIR method to further verify the group changes in the reaction. As illustrated in Figure 8, curve a corresponds to the untreated PP fabric, curve b represents the sample treated with plasma, and curve c represents the sample treated with plasma followed by the grafting of Ag NPs. The spectrum of Ag NP-coated PP fabric reveals two distinct absorption peaks at 3342 and 1632 cm−1. These peaks are indicative of the carbonyl (C=O) functional group, a characteristic feature of many molecules in organic chemistry. Conversely, plasma-treated PP fabric manifests only marginal peaks, while PP fabric exhibits an absence of peaks. This finding suggests that the PP fabric contains virtually no such functional groups and confirms that the PP fabric successfully grafted with the PP fabric after plasma treatment. A robust absorption peak manifests at 1300–1500 cm−1, denoting the hydroxyl (OH) functional group. This indicates a substantial increase in the number of hydroxyl radicals on the surface of the PP fabric following plasma treatment [36,37].
XPS analysis was performed to identify the chemical state of the Ag element in the PP fabric. As illustrated in Figure 9a, the fabric treated with Ag NPs displays peaks corresponding to O1s, N1s, Ag 3d, and C1s. Subsequent to the treatment, a novel Ag 3d peak at 373 eV was detected, signifying the formation of a coating comprising silver elements on the polypropylene fabric. Silver nanoparticles are susceptible to oxidation when exposed to air without adequate protection. As illustrated in Figure 9b, the two peaks observed at 367 eV and 373 eV are attributed to the Ag 3d 3/2 and Ag 3d 5/2 levels of metallic Ag NPs, respectively. This observation indicates that the Ag NPs exhibit good stability [38,39].

3.6. Antibacterial Properties of Ag NP-Coated PP Fabric

To evaluate the antimicrobial performance of PP fabric coated with silver nanoparticles, representative strains of S. aureus and E. coli were selected. Table 1 presents the colony counts of S. aureus and E. coli on the PP fabric. After coating with Ag NPs, the PP fabric demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial activity against the representative S. aureus and E. coli samples, with antimicrobial activity rates reaching 99.5% and 99.9%, respectively. Notably, the surface of the PP fabric becomes positively charged following Ag NP treatment, whereas S. aureus and E. coli typically carry a negative charge. The Ag NPs on the fabric surface can penetrate bacterial cells, leading to their disruption and inactivation. This electrostatic interaction, combined with the direct bactericidal effect of Ag NPs, contributes to the enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of the coated PP fabric [40].

4. Conclusions

In this study, PP fabric was treated with (DBD) plasma, followed by grafting with amino-functionalized Ag NPs. PP fabric treated with plasma for 50 s, mechanical property tests showed that the fabric strength decreased from 16.9 to 13.4 N. The wettability of the fabric surface was significantly improved, as the contact angle decreased substantially to 80°, demonstrating enhanced hydrophilicity. SEM observations revealed that Ag NPs with a diameter of 100 nm were uniformly distributed on the surface of the PP fabric. EDS and XPS analyses confirmed the presence of Ag NPs on the fabric surface after the combined treatment of plasma and Ag NP adsorption. Antimicrobial tests indicated that grafting Ag NPs onto the PP fabric increased the antimicrobial rate to 99%, highlighting a significant improvement in the material’s resistance to microbial contamination. This integrated approach of plasma modification and nanoparticle grafting effectively enhances both the surface functionality and antibacterial performance of the nonwoven fabric.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, H.C. and W.Z.; methodology, W.Z. and G.Z.; formal analysis, H.C.; data curation, W.G., H.C. and W.Z.; investigation, H.C., W.Z. and G.Z.; writing—original draft, H.C. and W.Z.; supervision, G.Z. and W.G.; funding, G.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by the Major Program of Basic Science (Natural Science) of Higher Education of Jiangsu Province (23KJA540001).

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data are contained within the article.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Figure 1. Diagram of the DBD plasma treatment apparatus.
Figure 1. Diagram of the DBD plasma treatment apparatus.
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Figure 2. Contact angle of PP fabric after plasma treatment (a) treated with 0 s, (b) 20 s, (c) 50 s, and (d) 70 s. (e) Contact angle value.
Figure 2. Contact angle of PP fabric after plasma treatment (a) treated with 0 s, (b) 20 s, (c) 50 s, and (d) 70 s. (e) Contact angle value.
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Figure 3. Breaking strength of the PP fabric treated for different times.
Figure 3. Breaking strength of the PP fabric treated for different times.
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Figure 4. Mechanism for preparing Ag NP-coated PP fabric.
Figure 4. Mechanism for preparing Ag NP-coated PP fabric.
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Figure 5. SEM images of surface topography of PP fabrics: (a) control, (b) DBD -PP, and (c) Ag NP- coated PP.
Figure 5. SEM images of surface topography of PP fabrics: (a) control, (b) DBD -PP, and (c) Ag NP- coated PP.
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Figure 6. EDS spectra of Ag NP-coated PP fabric.
Figure 6. EDS spectra of Ag NP-coated PP fabric.
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Figure 7. EDS images of Ag NPs- PP: (a) PP fabric, (b) C, (c) O, and (d) Ag.
Figure 7. EDS images of Ag NPs- PP: (a) PP fabric, (b) C, (c) O, and (d) Ag.
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Figure 8. FT-IR of (a) PP fabric, (b) DBD-PP, and (c) Ag NP-coated PP.
Figure 8. FT-IR of (a) PP fabric, (b) DBD-PP, and (c) Ag NP-coated PP.
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Figure 9. (a) High-resolution XPS spectra of PP fabric; (b) Ag 3d.
Figure 9. (a) High-resolution XPS spectra of PP fabric; (b) Ag 3d.
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Table 1. Antibacterial properties of Ag NP-coated PP.
Table 1. Antibacterial properties of Ag NP-coated PP.
SamplesAg Contents
(mg/Kg)		Bacterial Colonies (cfu/mL)Ratio (%)
S. aureusE. coliS. aureusE. coli
PP fabric-2.27 × 1061.8 × 105--
Ag NP-coated201.21 × 1041.27 × 10299.599.9
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MDPI and ACS Style

Chen, H.; Zhang, W.; Gao, W.; Zhang, G. Plasma-Induced Amino HBP/Ag Nanoparticle-Grafted PP Melt-Blown Nonwoven Fabric and Its Antibacterial Performance. Coatings 2025, 15, 947. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080947

AMA Style

Chen H, Zhang W, Gao W, Zhang G. Plasma-Induced Amino HBP/Ag Nanoparticle-Grafted PP Melt-Blown Nonwoven Fabric and Its Antibacterial Performance. Coatings. 2025; 15(8):947. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080947

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chen, Hongxia, Wei Zhang, Weidong Gao, and Guangyu Zhang. 2025. "Plasma-Induced Amino HBP/Ag Nanoparticle-Grafted PP Melt-Blown Nonwoven Fabric and Its Antibacterial Performance" Coatings 15, no. 8: 947. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080947

APA Style

Chen, H., Zhang, W., Gao, W., & Zhang, G. (2025). Plasma-Induced Amino HBP/Ag Nanoparticle-Grafted PP Melt-Blown Nonwoven Fabric and Its Antibacterial Performance. Coatings, 15(8), 947. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080947

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