Innovative Approaches to Antimicrobial and Antiviral Functionalization of Textile Materials

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary platform for the latest advances in the design, development and application of antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiviral functionalized bioactive textile materials. The focus is on innovative approaches ranging from materials science and nanotechnology to surface and colloidal chemistry and bioengineering that enhance the protective, antimicrobial, antioxidative, antiviral and therapeutic performance of textiles in various fields such as healthcare, personal protective equipment (PPE), smart wearables and consumer products. The aim of this Special Issue is to (i) highlight the state of the art to impart bioactive properties to natural, synthetic and blended textile substrates; (ii) explore both passive (surface coatings, chemical agents) and active (stimuli-responsive, controlled release) strategies for microbial inhibition; (iii) promote the integration of sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions such as biopolymers, plant-based antimicrobial agents and green synthesis routes; (iv) stimulate contributions that provide mechanistic insights, scalability analysis or commercialization routes for novel textile treatments; (v) encourage contributions that deepen our understanding of interactions between functional agents and textile matrices, as well as their interactions with biological targets such as viruses, microbes and reactive oxygen species; and (vi) highlight novel analytical and visualization methods for studying bioactive textiles, including surface and nanoscale characterization techniques.

While the existing literature has addressed specific aspects of bioactive textiles, often in fragmented or application-specific contexts, this Special Issue seeks to fill gaps in materials, methods and applications. It provides a consolidated view that (1) goes beyond traditional biocide-based treatments to explore cutting-edge nanotechnologies, bioactive compounds and hybrid multifunctional systems; (2) emphasizes the multidisciplinary integration of microbiology, materials science, textile engineering and environmental science; (3) showcases emerging innovations such as smart textiles with on-demand antimicrobial activity, self-disinfecting surfaces and virus-inactivating coatings that are particularly relevant in the context of global health issues such as COVID-19 and hospital-acquired infections; (4) addresses applications, where multifunctional protection (e.g., antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidative) is essential, including future-use scenarios in defense; and (5) critically evaluates current limitations in functional durability, toxicity, user safety and regulatory compliance, thus fostering dialog on next-generation solutions.

By synthesizing state-of-the-art knowledge with novel forward-thinking strategies, this Special Issue aims to serve as both a technical reference and a visionary roadmap for academic researchers, developers and industry stakeholders involved in the creation of bioactive textile materials for advanced protective applications.

Dr. Olivija Plohl
Prof. Dr. Lidija Fras Zemljič
Guest Editors

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• textile materials
• antiviral and antimicrobial surfaces
• bioactivity
• personal protective equipment
• hybrid multifunctional systems
• smart textile
• self-disinfecting surfaces
• functionalization