Innovative coating of cotton textile fabrics for integrating outstanding flame hazard safety, UV protection, tensile strength strengthening and antibacterial properties

A rational green synthesis method was developed to produce sustainable nanocoatings for cotton fabrics that are flame retardant, strengthened, antibacterial, and UV protective. The nanocoatings were created using silica nanoparticles with an average size of 73.2 nm derived from rice husk (RH-SNP). These nanoparticles were adorned with ZnONPs with an average size of 7.6 nm, which were reduced and capped with molokhia extract made from molokhia stems by-products. The ultimate nanocomposite was evenly distributed in a chitosan solution using ultrasonication. The mass ratio of RH-SNP in the nanocoating was adjusted and fine-tuned for optimization. The coated cotton fabrics were analyzed using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The flammability of cotton fabrics treated with sustainable coatings was assessed. The coated fabrics exhibited significantly greater flame retardancy, achieving a zero burning rate compared to 110 mm/min for the untreated one. The enhanced flame-retardant properties were a result of the combined flame-retardant effects of RH-SNP and molokhia stem extract, along with decorated ZnONPs, which created a more robust protective char layer. The coated cotton's antibacterial characteristics showed significant inhibition of bacterial growth, resulting in a 10 mm distinct inhibition zone, while pure cotton had no inhibition zone. Additionally, the coated cotton fabrics had exceptional UV shielding properties with a UPF rating of 167.8, which was more than fourth the value of the uncoated fabric. The tensile strength and elongation of the cotton fabrics were enhanced after applying a sustainable nanocoating, indicating a beneficial effect on tensile strength. Furthermore, the coated fabrics exhibited exceptional durability characteristics. [Display omitted] •Sustainable flame retardant, reinforced, antibacterial and UV protective nanocoatings were developed.•Nanocoatings were fabricated from RH-SNP decorated with ZnONPs prepared using molokhia extract.•The nanocoatings achieved outstanding flame retardancy and antibacterial for cotton fabrics.•Excellent reinforcement and UV protection properties were recorded for coated fabrics.•Flame retardancy mechanism was elucidated using different techniques.