MULTIFUNCTIONAL TREATMENT OF

COTTON TEXTILES WITH ALOE VERA

GEL: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF
HYDROPHILICITY, ANTI-MICROBIAL
PROPERTIES AND DYE AFFINITY
 OUR TEAM MEMBERS

Md Mobarak Hossan Mohammad Reazul Kamal Abidur Rahman Khan

ID-2020-1-3-034 ID-2020-1-3-036 ID-2020-1-3-073

MD. Alif Akber MD. Sayedur Rahman Patwary

ID-2020-1-3-075 ID-2016-1-3-038
 OUR SUPERVISOR

Professor Dr. Rasheda Begum Dina

Head, Department of Wet Process Engineering,
Bangladesh University of Textiles
PRESENT
STATE OF
STUDY
Paper Title Findings Reference
Textile Bio Processing Using Aloe Gel Aloe gel exhibits good desizing efficiency compared to Amanuel L, Teferi
synthetic enzymes X (2017)
Antimicrobial, UV Resistant and Tensile strength decreased with higher finishing agent Md. Ibrahim H.
Thermal Comfort Properties concentration Mondal, Joykrisna
of Chitosan- and Aloe vera-Modified Saha (2019)
Cotton Woven Fabric
Experimental study on antimicrobial Aloe vera extracts provide effective antimicrobial finishes D. Jothi (2009)
activity of cotton for textiles
fabric treated with aloe gel extract
from Aloe vera plant
for controlling the Staphylococcus
aureus (bacterium)
Study of Antimicrobial Activity of Aloevera, chitosan, and curcumin showed antimicrobial L. Ammayappan
Aloevera, Chitosan, and Curcumin on activity on textiles and J. Jeyakodi
Cotton, Wool, and Rabbit Hair Moses (2009)
A Study on the Effect of Antimicrobial Aloe Vera gel extract shows excellent antimicrobial Nan Thazin Hein,
Agent from Aloe Vera activity against Pseudo and E. coli Dr. Swe Swe Hnin,
Gel on Bleached Cotton Fabric Daw Htay Htay
(2013)
AIMS OF 01 Assessing the hydrophilicity of Aloe Vera-treated fabrics

THE
PROJECT 02
Evaluating antimicrobial efficacy against gram
negative bacteria (Escherichia coli)

Investigating the dye affinity of Aloe Vera-treated cotton under

03 both salt and salt-free conditions using reactive dyes

Measuring the effect of treatment on bursting strength and

04 fastness properties.(wash and rubbing)
INTRODUCTION
 ALOE VERA
BOTANICAL SOURCE

• Aloe Vera is a xerophytic, perennial succulent

plant belonging to the Asphodelaceae family,
widely recognized for its therapeutic and Composition
healing properties.
• Water
• It is scientifically known as Aloe barbadensis • Polysaccharides
Miller and has been used for thousands of • Amino Acids
years in traditional medicine and skincare • Enzymes
across various cultures. • Vitamins(A,C,E,B12)
• Minerals(Ca, Na, Mg, Zn)
• The plant is native to arid and semi-arid • Saponins
regions, commonly found in Africa, Asia, and • Phenolic Compounds
parts of the Americas, and widely cultivated in • Phytosterols
India.

• Its thick, fleshy green leaves contain a clear

gel that is extracted and utilized for
applications in healthcare, cosmetics, and
textile finishing.
MATERIALS
FABRIC CHEMICALS USED FOR SCOURING & CHEMICALS USED FOR FINISHING
BLEACHING
• 100% Cotton Single • Ethanol
• Wetting Agent
Jersey knit fabric of • Citric Acid
• Detergent
GSM - 155
• Sequestering Agent DYES USED

• Hydrogen Peroxide • Remazol RR Red

• Peroxide Stabilizer • Bezaktiv Blue
• Caustic Soda

ALOE VERA GEL

• Manually extracted
• Blended
METHODOLOGY
PROCESS FLOW
PADDING LIQUOR PREPARATION
Padding liquor for dyeing
Chemical Amount
Aloe vera gel 20 parts
Distilled water 80 parts
Total 100 parts

Padding liquor for Finishing

Chemical Amount
Aloe vera gel 25 parts
2%(w/v) Citric Acid 3 parts
10%(v/v) Ethanol 10 parts
Water 62 parts
Total 100 parts
FINISHING PROCEDURE

IMMERSED FABRIC PADDING CURING

Fabric immersed • Padder Pressure • Temperature -

in the padding – 18 Kg 130ºC
liquor • Padding Speed – • Time – 5 minute
2.5 m/min
for 30 minutes • Pickup % - 70-
80%
DYEING PROCEDURE

IR DYEING MACHINE
Dyeing of cotton fabric with Aloe Vera gel (with salt) Dyeing of cotton fabric with Aloe Vera gel (without salt)
Chemical Amount Chemical Amount
Reactive Dye 2% (owf) Reactive Dye 2% (owf)
Sodium Carbonate 8gm/L Sodium Carbonate 8gm/L
Sodium Chloride 20gm/L Wetting agent 1gm/L
Wetting agent 1gm/L Levelling agent 1gm/L
Levelling agent 1gm/L Sequestering agent 1gm/L
Sequestering agent 1gm/L M:L 1:20
M:L 1:20 Temperature 80ºC
Temperature 80ºC Time 60 mins
Time 60 mins Hot Wash Recipe
Hot Wash Recipe Sodium Carbonate 2gm/L
Sodium Carbonate 2gm/L Detergent 5gm/L
Detergent 5gm/L
 TESTING METHODS

VERTICAL WICKING TEST Specimen Preparation:

• Fabric samples were cut into vertical strips. Each strip measured 15 cm in
height and 2.5 cm in width. Three vertical strips were prepared from each
sample specimen.
Equipment Setup:
• Strips were mounted on the vertical wicking tester using clips. A bath filled with
a liquor containing direct dyes was placed beneath the tester.
Measurement:
• The height of the absorbed dyes was noted after 2 minutes. The height of the
absorbed dyes was also noted after 5 minutes. The absorption rate was
AATCC TM 197-2018 measured for each sample based on these observations.
 FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) is an analytical
technique used to identify the chemical structure and functional
FTIR ANALYSIS groups present in a material by measuring its infrared absorption
spectrum. The equipment was at first turned on and is calibrated; a
background scan is performed before placing the sample in the
holder. Then the fabric samples were placed at the sample holder
and the FTIR analysis was done. Here, an infrared beam is passed
through the sample, and the absorbance is measured over a
wavelength range, typically from 4000 to 400 cm⁻¹. The resulting
Fourier Transform Infra-red
spectrum, showing absorption peaks at specific wavelengths, is
Spectrophotometer analyzed to identify characteristic functional groups. The obtained
spectrum is compared with reference spectra to determine the
chemical composition of the sample.
BURSTING STRENGTH The bursting strength of knit fabric sample was
measured using a pneumatic diaphragm bursting
tester following ISO 13938-2:2019-Textiles method. A
circular specimen of the knit fabric is clamped securely
over a rubber diaphragm. Pressure is then applied
from below the diaphragm using air, causing the fabric
to expand until it bursts. The pressure at which the
fabric ruptures is recorded as the bursting strength in
ISO 13938-2:2019
kPa unit. Each specimen was tested three times and
the mean value was taken.
COLORFASTNESS TO
RUBBING
Colorfastness to rubbing of knit fabric is measured using a
Crockmeter, following standard method ISO 105-X12-1993. Here,
the sample specimen of the dyed fabric is mounted on the base of
the Crockmeter, and a white test cloth (usually cotton) is rubbed
against it under controlled pressure 10 times for 10 seconds. The
rubbing is performed in two conditions—dry and wet. After the test,
the rubbing cloth is assessed for staining using a grayscale or
chromatic scale to determine the degree of color transfer. The result
ISO 105-X12-1993 is rated from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent), indicating the fabric’s
resistance to color transfer during handling or wear.
COLORFASTNESS TO WASHING

Colorfastness to washing of knit fabric is measured by subjecting the fabric to a

controlled washing process, following the standard ISO 105-C06-1994. In this test,
the dyed knit fabric samples were cut into pieces of dimension 10 cm × 4 cm and
were sewn together with a DW type multifiber fabric of similar dimension. Then the
test specimen was placed in a washing machine with a detergent solution. The
specimen is washed under controlled temperature, time, and agitation 40°C for 30
minutes. After washing, the fabric is rinsed, dried, and both the color change of the
tested sample and the staining on the adjacent fabrics are evaluated using gray
scale ratings. The result indicates the fabric’s resistance to color fading and staining
during laundering.
ISO 105-C06-1994
 COLOR STRENGTH TEST
The Color strength test of knit fabric is performed using a spectrophotometer to
evaluate the color strength based on the Kubelka-Munk theory. For this test, AATCC
test method was followed using Datacolor UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. The dyed
fabric sample was placed flat and uniformly in the sample holder of the
spectrophotometer, which measures the reflectance (R) of the fabric at the
wavelength of maximum absorption. The K/S value was then calculated using the
formula:
𝐾 1−𝑅 2
=
𝑆 2𝑅
Datacolor UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
where, K is the absorption coefficient ,
S is the scattering coefficient.

Higher K/S values indicate deeper or more intense color shades

 Agar Plates Preparation:
• A suitable agar medium (likely Mueller Hinton Agar, MHA) is prepared and sterilized.
• This molten agar is then poured into sterile petri dishes and allowed to solidify. This creates a
nutrient-rich solid surface for bacterial growth.
Bacterial Inoculation:
• A pure culture of the test bacterium, in this case, E. coli (specifically E. coli ATCC 11229, a
standard strain), is prepared.
• a specific concentration of bacterial cells is then uniformly spread over the surface of the solidified
ANTIMICROBIAL TEST AGAINST E.COLI agar plate.
Well Creation:
• After the bacterial lawn is prepared, small, circular wells (holes) are aseptically punched into the
agar using a sterile cork borer or a similar tool.
• The removed agar plugs are discarded.
Sample Application:
• Different concentrations of the textile sample extracts are prepared by soaking them into EDTA
solution.
• A precise volume of each sample concentration (e.g., 1 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml, 3 mg/ml, 4 mg/ml, 5
mg/ml) is then carefully pipetted into separate, designated wells on the agar plate.
• A Negative Control (NC) well is also included, containing only the solvent used to prepare the
textile extracts (e.g., sterile water or saline), but no active textile extract. This is crucial to ensure
ATCC 6538 by Agar-Well diffusion method
that any observed inhibition is due to the textile sample and not the solvent.
Diffusion and Incubation:
• Once the samples are in the wells, the plates are typically left at room temperature for a short period
(e.g., 30 minutes to an hour) to allow the active compounds from the textile extracts to diffuse
radially outwards into the agar.
• The plates are then incubated at an optimal temperature for bacterial growth (usually 37°C for E.
coli) for a specific period (e.g., 18-24 hours). During this time, the bacteria will grow and form a
visible lawn on the agar.
• If the textile sample has antibacterial properties, the active compounds diffusing from the well will
inhibit the growth of the bacteria in the surrounding area. This results in a clear, circular area around
the well where no bacterial growth occurs. This clear area is called the Zone of Inhibition.
• After incubation, the diameter of these zones of inhibition is measured in millimeters (mm) using a
ruler or a caliper. A larger zone of inhibition indicates stronger antibacterial activity.
RESULTS
 EFFECT ON HYDROPHILICITY

9.5 9.5 9.3

8 7.9 • In all tested samples (Sample 1,

Wicking Distance (cm)

7.7 7.5
7.2 7
Sample 2, and Sample 3), the Aloe Vera
6
5.8
5.5 treated samples consistently showed a
higher wicking distance compared to the
untreated samples, indicating improved
wicking performance.
2 MINUTE 5 MINUTE 2 MINUTE 5 MINUTE 2 MINUTE 5 MINUTE
SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3
Time(min)

Untreated Sample Aloe Vera Treated Sample

BEFORE FINISHING AFTER FINISHING
 EFFECT ON COLOR STRENGTH
K/S Value
• The Aloe Vera treated cotton dyed fabric
with salt exhibits the highest K/S value
ALOE TREATED COTTON DYED FABRIC (WITH
SALT)
2.8301 (2.8301), indicating a substantial
improvement in color strength compared to
both the untreated and Aloe Vera treated
fabric without salt.
ALOE TREATED COTTON DYED FABRIC (WITHOUT
• The absence of salt in the Aloe Vera treated
1.6088
SALT)
fabric dyeing process (K/S value of 1.6088)
results in a lower color strength even
compared to the untreated cotton dyed
fabric (K/S value of 1.8429). This suggests
UNTREATED COTTON DYED FABRIC 1.8429 that salt is essential for the effective
utilization of Aloe Vera in enhancing dye
uptake or increasing the concentration of
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 Aloe Vera can also improve the dye uptake.
 CONVENTIONAL

ALOE TREATED DYED

COTTON WITHOUT SALT

ALOE TREATED DYED

COTTON WITH SALT
 FTIR RESULT
Peak Untreated Aloe Aloe Functional
Untreated Cotton Dyed Fabric
Aloe Vera Finished White Cotton Fabric Number Dyed Cotton Vera Finished White Vera Treated Group
Aloe Vera Treated Dyed Cotton Fabric Fabric Cotton Fabric Dyed Cotton Fabric
105 (Without Salt)
cm-1 %T cm-1 %T cm-1 %T
1 3335.51 92.48 3339.47 89.73 3335.10 90.80 O-H
100 stretching
2 X X 1633.67 95.59 1633.69 95.41 C=O or C=C
stretching
Transmittance %

95
• Both Aloe Vera treated fabrics (white and dyed) show a more pronounced or deeper
2 absorption at Peak 1 compared to the Untreated Cotton Dyed Fabric. This suggests
an increased presence of hydroxyl groups or a change in their bonding environment
due to the Aloe Vera treatment. This is consistent with Aloe Vera's chemical
90 composition, which includes polysaccharides with numerous hydroxyl groups.
• Similar to Peak 1, the Aloe Vera treated fabrics show a slightly deeper absorption at
Peak 2 compared to the untreated fabric. This could point to interactions between
1 Aloe Vera components and the cotton fibers, or the presence of specific functional
groups introduced by the Aloe Vera.
85 • Despite the differences at Peaks 1 and 2, the overall shape and presence of other
smaller peaks across the spectrum are largely similar for all three samples,
indicating that the fundamental cellulose structure of cotton remains intact after the
treatments. The distinct changes observed at Peaks 1 and 2 in the Aloe Vera
treated samples (both white and dyed) strongly suggest that the Aloe Vera has
80 successfully adhered to or interacted with the cotton fibers, altering their chemical
4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 structure.
Wavenumber(cm-1)
 ANALYSIS OF COLORFASTNESS
Color Fastness to Wash Grading
Multi-fiber Fabric Untreated Aloe Aloe
Dyed Cotton Vera Treated Vera Treated
Fabric Dyed Cotton Fabric Dyed Cotton Fabric
(With Salt) (Without Salt) UNTREATED

Acetate 4-5 4-5 4-5

Cotton 3-4 3-4 3-4
Nylon 4-5 4-5 4-5
Polyester 4-5 4-5 4-5
Acrylic 4-5 4-5 4-5
ALOE
Wool 4-5 4-5 4-5 TREATED
(WITHOUT
Color Change 4-5 4-5 4-5 SALT)

Color Fastness To Rubbing

Sample Dry Condition Wet
Condition

Untreated Dyed Cotton Fabric 4-5 4

ALOE
Aloe Vera Treated Dyed Cotton Fabric (With 4-5 4 TREATED
(WITH SALT)
Salt)

Aloe Vera Treated Dyed Cotton Fabric 4-5 4

(Without Salt)
 EVALUATION OF BURSTING
STRENGTH
Bursting Strength(kPa)
• Both Aloe Vera treated fabrics (with and
without salt) show a reduction in
bursting strength compared to the
Aloe Vera Treated Dyed Fabric (with salt) 444
normal dyed fabric.
• The difference in bursting strength
between "Aloe Vera Treated Dyed
Fabric (with salt)" (444 kPa) and "Aloe
Vera Treated Dyed Fabric (without salt)"
Aloe Vera Treated Dyed Fabric (without salt) 442.5
(442.5 kPa) is negligible. This suggests
that the presence or absence of salt
during the aloe vera treatment process
does not significantly impact the fabric's
Normal Dyed Fabric 509 bursting strength.
400 420 440 460 480 500 520
 EFFECT ON ANTIMICOBIAL
ACTIVITY
Sample Concentration Zone of Inhibition in
mm
Aloe Vera Treated 1 mg/ml -
Dyed Fabric 2 mg/ml 13±0.16
3 mg/ml 15±0.13
4 mg/ml 11±0.14
5 mg/ml 16±0.15
Aloe Vera Finished 1 mg/ml -
White Fabric 2mg/ml 14±0.15
3 mg/ml 15±0.16
4 mg/ml 13±0.23
5 mg/ml 13±0.21
Control Type Zone of Inhibition(mm)

Positive Control 1.8±0.50

Negative Control -
• For both textile samples, the zone of inhibition against E.
coli generally increased with increasing concentration of
the textile extract. This indicates that the antibacterial
effect is dependent on the amount of active substance
present.
• The petri dish images visually support the report's
findings, showing clear zones around the wells containing
the higher concentrations of the textile samples (e.g.,
2mg ,3 mg,4 mg and 5 mg wells have larger clear areas
around them compared to 1 mg and NC - Negative
Control).
• As expected, the negative control (NC) wells in the petri
dishes show no zone of inhibition, confirming that the
observed antibacterial activity is due to the textile
samples.
• In summary, both textile samples possess antibacterial
properties against gram negative bacteria (E. coli), with
the aloe vera treated dyed sample showing a slightly
more potent effect at higher concentrations.
CONCLUSION
• Aloe Vera imparted enhanced hydrophilicity, antibacterial
action, and color depth.
• Treatments are durable and compatible with standard
processes.
• Supports clean, sustainable, and multifunctional finishing.
• Replaces synthetic antimicrobial & dyeing salts.
• Reduces effluent salinity and chemical load.
• Aloe Vera → multifunctionality with a single bio-treatment
• Potential for use in: Medical textiles, Sportswear
 References
1. T. X. Amanuel L, "Textile Bio Processing Using Aloe Gel," 2017.
2. J. S. Md. Ibrahim H. Mondal, "Antimicrobial, UV Resistant and Thermal Comfort Properties of
Chitosan- and Aloe vera-Modified Cotton Woven Fabric," Journal of Polymers and the Environment,
2019.
3. D. Jothi, "Experimental study on antimicrobial activity of cotton fabric treated with aloe gel extract
from Aloe vera plant for controlling the Staphylococcus aureus (bacterium)".
4. L. A. a. J. J. Moses, "Study of Antimicrobial Activity of Aloevera, Chitosan, and Curcumin on Cotton,
Wool, and Rabbit Hair," 2009.
5. X, A. L. (n.d.). Textile Bio Processing Using Aloe Gel.