Acyclic N‐halamine‐based fibrous materials: Preparation,characterization, and biocidal functions

Methacrylamide (MAA) was grafted onto cotton cellulose. The influence of the reaction conditions on the grafting was studied in detail. Upon a chlorine bleach treatment, some of the amide groups in the grafted MAA side chains were transformed into stable acyclic N‐halamines; Hoffman‐type degradation was not observed. The resultant cotton celluloses provided a total kill of 10⁸–10⁹ CFU/mL for Escherichia coli (Gram‐negative bacteria), Staphylococcus aureus (Gram‐positive bacteria), and Candida tropicalis (fungi) in 3 min, 10⁶–10⁷ PFU/mL for the MS2 virus in 5 min, and 10⁶–10⁷ spores/mL for Bacillus subtilis in 4 h. The antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antispore activities were both durable and rechargeable. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3588–3600, 2006