Antibacterial Cotton Fabric Prepared by a “Grafting to” Strategy using a QAC Copolymer

Abstract Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have outstanding antimicrobial effect, but their immobilization onto cotton fiber surfaces reminds a challenge. Herein, a QAC monomer, [2-(Methacryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethy lammonium chloride (DMC) was co-polymerized with methyl acrylate (MA) to prepare an antibacterial copolymer, poly(DMC-co-MA). To graft the copolymer with an improved grafting efficiency, cotton fabric was treated using carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) to establish an amino-functionalized fiber surface first. This treatment allows the amidation reactions between the amino groups and the pendant ester groups in the poly(DMC-co-MA) to take place, achieving a durable QAC coating onto the fiber surfaces with remarkably antibacterial effect. Characterization results indicated that when DMC/MA monomer ratio was 100:1, the resulting copolymer endows the modified cotton fabric with antibacterial capability that inactivates all Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Even after 50 laundering cycles, more than 98.0% of the antibacterial rate could still be retained. Moreover, the wearing comfort properties such as softness, water absorption and air permeability of the finishing cotton fabrics have been insignificantly changed by comparing to the untreated cotton fabric.