%0 Journal Article %T Effect of Sliver Nanoparticles on Wool Fibre %A R. Perumalraj %J ISRN Chemical Engineering %D 2012 %R 10.5402/2012/842021 %X Sliver nanocolloids have been synthesized by chemical reduction of sliver salt solution, characterized by SEM usage of nanoparticles. Sliver nanocolloids are treated with wool fibres and dyed wool fibres (direct and acid dyes). The physical properties, colour strength, and fastness properties have been studied for dyed wool fibres and ordinary wool fibres. It is observed that the fibres with nanotreated fibres have better strength than untreated wool fibres. It is also observed that there is considerable improvement in colour strength and colour fastness of silver nanocolloids-treated wool fibres (dyed). 1. Introduction During the past two decades, the small-particle research has became quite popular in various fields of chemistry and physics. The small particles, now we call nanostructured materials, are having interesting properties. Metallic nanoparticles represent a class of materials that are increasingly receiving attention as important starting points for the generation of micro-and nanostructures. These particles are under active research because they posses interesting physical properties differing considerably from that of the bulk phase. It has small sizes and high surface/volume ratio. Sliver nanoparticles have received considerable attention due to their attractive physical and chemical properties. Metallic sliver colloids were first prepared more than a century ago. Ag nanoparticles can be synthesized using various methods, such as chemical, electrochemical, ¦Ã-radiation, photochemical, and laser ablation. The most popular preparation of Ag colloids is chemical reduction of sliver salts by sodium borohydride of sodium citrate. This preparation is simple, but the great care must be exercised to make stable and reproducible colloids. The purity of water and reagents and cleanliness of the glassware are critical parameters. Solution temperature, concentrations of the metal slat and reducing agent, and reaction time influence particle size. Controlling size and shape of metal nanoparticles remains a challenge. The size-induced properties of nanoparticles enable the development of new applications or the addition of flexibility to existing systems, in many areas, such as catalysis, optics, microelectronics, and textiles. Antimicrobial effect of sliver nanoparticles on textiles has already been shown by various researchers [1¨C3]. Wool fiber, known for its lightness, softness, warmness, and smoothness, is known as a natural clothing material. Because wool is mainly composed of keratin, the outermost part of the fiber is the cuticle cell, of which %U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.chemical.engineering/2012/842021/