Development of polyester-based bamboo charcoal and lyocell-blended union fabrics for healthcare and hygienic textiles

Abstract

Wearing of suitable dresses in hospitals and health clubs by the doctor and supporting staff has been accorded a very high priority by the hospital administration in order to protect them from getting infected by the germs and microorganisms and also from spreading the diseases to other patients. Due to the increase in awareness and concern about the healthcare textiles, it has become the need of the hour to develop hospital textiles with functional properties like antimicrobial, odor resistance, and comfort characteristics. In this research work, an attempt has been made to develop medical textiles from polyester-based bamboo charcoal (PBBC) yarn, which has certain unique properties necessary for hospital textiles like anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and odor resistance. Two types of yarns were used for producing union fabrics, namely (1) PBBC produced by imbuing bamboo charcoal powder into the polyester master batch and (2) lyocell yarns (L). The plain-woven fabrics produced by combining these two yarns in different proportions are reported to have improved comfort properties when compared to 100% bamboo charcoal fabrics and hence could be used for the production of bedding, clothing, surgical gowns, and hospital cloths. © The Author(s) 2011.