DURABLE AND RECHARGEABLE BIOCIDAL TEXTILES

Textile materials, including natural and synthetic fibers, are good media for growth of microorganisms, particularly the drug-resistant bacteria, which have caused great concern to public health. Biocidal properties should be a necessary feature for medical-use textiles. Biocidal functions, different from biostatic functions, include sterilization, disinfection, and sanitization in an order of the strength. According to guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical use biocidal functions should be at least at the disinfection level, which can inactivate most infectious microorganisms. In addition, biocidal functions on textile materials should survive repeated laundering if used as uniforms, linens and even reusable surgical scraps and gowns. Among the currently investigated antimicrobial materials, only N-halamines have shown the capability of providing fast and total kill against a wide range of microorganisms without causing resistance from microorganisms. Furthermore, halamine structures can be recharged by chlorine bleaching, a process recommended by CD as well. Thus, biocidal textiles containing the halamine structures have been developed. Recent studies in biocidal polymers have resulted interesting progresses in incorporating halamines to all synthetic fabrics that are widely used as medical and other professional clothing materials. Chemistry and properties of the new processes have been discussed in this presentation.