Antimicrobial fibers, textile composite

Cotton and flax fibers can absorb relatively large amount of moisture that can lead to microbial attack under certain conditions of humidity and temperature. Cotton and flax may act as a nutrient, becoming suitable medium for bacterial and fungal growth. Therefore, cotton and flax fibers are treated with numerous chemicals to get better antimicrobial textiles. Additionally, many of physicochemical properties of natural fibers and composites based on fibers depend on the amounts of bound water, adsorption capacity in respect to water, and possible swelling degree. Thus, from... 

Physical modification of fibers or threads is the direct change of their composition (without new chemical formations and transformations), stmcmre (supermolecular and textile), properties, production technology, and processing. Modernization of the stmcture and increase of the fiber crystallinity degree induces biostability increase. However, in contrast with chemical modification, physical modification does not impart antimicrobial properties to the fibers, but may increase biostability. 

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