Novel Approach of Added-Value Zinc Oxide Powders for Polymeric Fibrous Matrices with Engineered Architectures for High Performance Textiles

The aim of this monography is to summarise the fundamentals and technical approaches in the processing and behavior of nanostructured materials in the textile industry, to provide a comprehensive assessment of exciting opportunities for diversification in the textile industry, upgrading the existing functions and performance of textile materials, developing smart and intelligent textiles with unprecedented functions. This book mainly focuses on zinc oxide architectures with regard to their syntheses, characteristics and responses to environmental factors (UV radiation, water and water vapors, and heat, under controlled laboratory conditions). Several new concepts and models are introduced by synthesising ZnO nano and bulk (micron) powders using simple and facile methods. Two new ZnO nanostructures are discovered and analysed. In addition, the monography was oriented in achieving a textile nanocomposite with a surface architecture allowing blocking/fixing/adhesion of different guest compounds, resulting in different properties like: water repellence/washing resistance, antimicrobial activity, photoprotection, etc.)