11/03/2023
By Kwok Fan Chow

The Kennedy College of Science, Department of Chemistry, invites you to attend a Ph.D. Research Proposal defense by Saurabh Ankush Karande entitled “Open-air Plasma Treatment of Fabrics to Enhance Nanoparticle Adhesion for Chem-Bio Protection.”

Degree: Doctoral
Location: Olney Hall, Room 520
Date: Friday, November 17, 2023
Time: 9:30 a.m.

Committee Chair:
Prof. James Whitten, Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Committee Members:
Prof. Yuyu Sun, Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Prof. James Reuther, Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Prof. Ramaswamy Nagarajan, Department of Plastic Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:
A high-throughput method for attaching nanoparticles, including metal oxides, metal hydroxides, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), to fibers and fabrics has been developed. The process consists of modifying a fabric with an open-air plasma treater, spray coating it with a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles,and ultrasonicating it to remove loosely bound particles. Fabrics that have been studied include knitted polypropylene (PP), nylon, cotton, and a nylon-cotton blend (Nyco). XPS demonstrates that the C1s and O1s regions undergo dramatic changes with plasma exposure, consistent with the formation of oxidized carbon on the surface of the fabrics, and FTIR shows that carboxylic acid and carbonyl groups form on the PP surface. In many cases, the attachment of the nanoparticles to the fabric surface is strong enough that a monolayer of the particles can withstand several cycles of AATCC-compliant washing. This research has applications in warfighter uniform chem-bio protection, gas filtration, and hazardous chemical removal/remediation.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.