A water-soluble reactive N-halamine precursor for low-salt and low-temperature antibacterial finishing of cotton fabrics
摘要
In this study, a novel water-soluble N-halamine precursor 2-(sodium 3-pyridinecarboxylate)-4-(sodium 4-aminobenzenesulfonate)-6-(5,5-dimethylhydantoin-3-ethylamino)-1,3,5-triazine (CBTDMH) was successfully synthesized and applied onto cotton fabrics via a reactive dye dyeing process. The molecular structure of CBTDMH contains a pyridine ring that can be protonated under neutral to mildly acidic conditions. The introduced positive charges could enhance the electrostatic affinity between the precursor and the surface of cotton fibers. This feature significantly reduces the required electrolytes during the finishing process, decreasing the amount of sodium sulfate from the conventional over 100 g/L to only 50 g/L in our system. Meanwhile, the sulfonate group improves the overall water solubility of CBTDMH, facilitating efficient aqueous-phase processing without organic solvent. CBTDMH was covalently bonded to the cotton fabric through a low-temperature reaction and subsequently chlorinated using dilute sodium hypochlorite. The treated fabric demonstrated rapid and complete antibacterial efficacy against S.aureus and E.coli O157:H7 within 10 min of contact. Importantly, the entire finishing process was operated under low-temperature and low-salt condition. The fabrics retained over 80% of their initial tensile strength and exhibited excellent durability and rechargeability even after 50 standardized laundering cycles and prolonged ultraviolet (UV) exposure. These results indicate that CBTDMH is a promising candidate for low-salt, low-temperature, and water-based antibacterial finishing of cotton fabrics.
Graphic abstract