At the crossroads of environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and health safety lies one of the most original and promising contributions presented at the III National Conference of the SCI Division of Chemistry for Technologies and the XIV Conference of the Italian Association of Chemistry for Engineering (AICIng): the presentation by Dr Annafelicia Civitavecchia from Marche Polytechnic University, titled “Innovative Nonwoven Antimicrobial Fabrics from Discarded Fishing Nets”.
The contribution forms part of the CO-SMART project, within Spoke 11 of the National Centre for Sustainable Mobility (MOST), and supported the development of the AMATEVI sub-project (Antimicrobial Materials for Vehicles Interiors), aimed at creating advanced materials to improve hygiene in car interiors.
A new antimicrobial fabric with a dual mission: health and sustainability
The idea behind the research is as simple as it is revolutionary: recover discarded fishing nets, transform them into nonwoven fabrics, and enhance them with antimicrobial properties through the integration of functionalised nanostructures known as Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs). These structures, dispersed within the polymer matrix, actively combat the growth of harmful microorganisms, reducing the risk of contamination from frequently touched car surfaces—such as handles, dashboards and steering wheels.
The starting material is recycled polyamide 6 (rPA6), sourced from waste fishing nets: an environmental pollutant turned into a high-value technological resource. The production method used is electrospinning, a technique that produces ultra-thin, anisotropically arranged fibres—ideal for technical applications not only in the automotive field, but beyond.
Towards safer, more circular car interiors
Interest in antimicrobial solutions in the transport sector has grown exponentially in recent years, particularly with the rise of shared mobility and public transport. Minimising the spread of bacteria and viruses on passenger contact surfaces has become a priority for car manufacturers and transport companies alike.
The fabric presented by Dr Civitavecchia offers a concrete response to this need, combining technical performance, environmental sustainability and health protection. Its added value lies in its ability to address two major contemporary challenges at once: marine pollution and microbiological safety in enclosed, high-traffic environments.
Circular innovation, the CO-SMART way
The presentation drew significant interest at the Milazzo conference, reaffirming how collaboration between academic research and industry can generate tangible and replicable results. Once again, the CO-SMART project proves its role as a laboratory for high-impact solutions, capable of improving the mobility of the future—making it safer, more sustainable, and technologically advanced.
And if tomorrow our car interiors are cleaner and healthier, we may owe it, at least in part, to what once polluted the seabeds of our oceans.
