Covalently grafted PANI-cotton fabrics <i>via</i> epoxy-amine click chemistry for a flexible supercapacitor electrode: synergistic antibacterial functionality with AgNPs and amoxicillin

Cotton, a natural source of pure cellulose, is among the most eco-friendly materials, valued for its sustainability and biodegradability. Developing cotton fabrics (CF) with advanced functionalities, such as antibacterial activity and conductivity, while preserving both their stability and inherent characteristics, such as hydrophilicity, flexibility, and comfort, remains a significant challenge. In this study, we propose a straightforward approach to producing conductive cotton by grafting aniline (ANI) onto epoxy-modified CF utilizing epoxy-amine "click" chemistry. The addition of aniline and ammonium persulfate (APS) dissolved in hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution to aniline-coated cotton fabric enables the growth of polyaniline (PANI) on the fabric through polymerization. Various cotton fabrics were prepared by altering parameters such as the ANI-to-APS ratio, HCl concentration, and the polymerization temperature. The electrochemical performance of the CF/PANI electrodes was assessed via cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The PANI-modified fabric with enhanced electrochemical properties was subsequently functionalized with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and treated with amoxicillin (AMOX), exhibiting a promising antibacterial effect against both Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative bacteria (G-). Findings demonstrate that PANI-coated cotton fabrics, produced via the proposed method, represent promising candidates for applications in wearable electronics, biosensors, electrocatalysis, and supercapacitors.