New multifunctional properties of wool fabrics were achieved through combining silica and silver
nanoparticles on the surface of fibres. The modified wool fabrics support bright colours due to the localised
surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. Silica nanoparticles were first assembled on the wool
fibres, and then silver nanoparticles were adsorbed on the fibre. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterise the surface features of the treated wool
fabrics. The results indicated that the silica nanoparticles and the silver nanoparticles were combined
together on wool fibres. The existence of silica nanoparticles on the fibres enhanced the colour of the
modified wool fabrics and produced super-hydrophilic property in wool fibres. Moreover, the wool fabrics
with silica and silver nanoparticles showed obvious antibacterial activity because of the presence of
the silver nanoparticles.