Review of Antimicrobial Textile Finishes

Antimicrobial finishes have long been important in the textile market. Coated textile fabrics have a wide range of applications in both the defense and civilian sectors. In hospitals, these coated fibers are an important tool in preventing the spread of infection. There are currently several types of antimicrobial finishes commercially available. This includes oxidizing agents (e.g., aldehydes and halogens), quaternary ammonium compounds, metallic compounds (e.g., cadmium, silver), and natural antimicrobial agents (e.g., chitosan and neem). Each group of these antimicrobial finishes has different properties (e.g., durability, fabric incorporation techniques, production, etc.) and different modes of action against microbes. This review provides an overview of these differences.