Currently, fabrics impregnated with zinc nanoparticles have been gained considerable attention to be used as a mask or cloths ( as an alternative choice to fight with bacteria and certain types of viruses).
I am now wondering that are there any simple test methods that do not require an expensive scientific equipment to check the presence of zinc nanoparticles in the fabrics? I mean "a simple and general way in which ordinary people can use to test the products made by zinc nanoparticles embedded fabrics?
At a first glance, I would say No... The general criteria a test should satisfy are:
1. Identify your target species
2. Quantify the same
BOTH the above points are to be satisfied in order to assess the result of any test.
In the case of NPs coated onto fabrics, identification would require a chemical testing or a physica (e.g., spectroscopic) analysis, which is of course not possible for typical users.
Moreover, even in the case a chemical check would be feasible, a problem would arise in sensitivity, that is the minimum amount that could be checked by that test. The NPs mass or number density onto technical and commercial fabrics is really low for many reasons... I think that would be rather hard to develop a home-applicable test with sufficient sensitivity.
The test for zinc is easy. The test for nanoparticles is difficult - one reason: you can’t see them...
You can try putting the fabric in neutral water and after a while you will notice eventually a slight pH shift from 7 to about 8.xx due to the dissolution of the zinc nanoparticles. Detection of the pH shift should work fine with phenolphthalein (pink color change). I tried it with a compact zinc probe in water and it worked well
Andreas Heyn Same thing will happen with MgO....Still won’t confirm ‘nano’... (nano-)Ag loaded fabrics may be grey but would show the same behavior...
Sure Alan, it must be excluded that other reactions of the fabric with water influence the pH. Not sure if there are any other metal particles/complexes in the fabric like Al/Mg/etc
Not possible in that way, Alan. I thought he just wants to confirm that zinc is the fabric or not by means of a very easy merhod. We have to wait for his clarification ;-)
Andreas Heyn I just read the question...'Any Test Method for Zinc Nanoparticles in Fabrics'?
The key words for me are zinc, nanoparticles, fabrics linked to 'test methods'...
Also in the main body:
'I am now wondering that are there any simple test methods that do not require an expensive scientific equipment to check the presence of zinc nanoparticles in the fabrics? I mean "a simple and general way in which ordinary people can use to test the products made by zinc nanoparticles embedded fabrics'?
I can read too, but I tried to wonder what he might really want and help... thank you, Alan, you won ;-)
Actually, I just wanted to confirm the presence of zinc species in the fabrics. I totally agree with the above comments. The confirmation of nanoparticles in fabrics by users might not be possible without specific techniques.
Thank you very much for all answers. I was wondering about this question because currently the products related to zinc nanoparticles have been gained much interest in the marketplace (as protective cloths) as they are claimed to fight against bacteria and viruses. So, I thought that it would be nice if ordinary people could simply test the fabrics. I mean, even the method to confirm the presence of zinc species in the fabrics is still okay, they might use it to avoid a counterfeit product.
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