Functional Finishing of Cotton Fabrics by Treatment with Chitosan

Cotton fabric was treated with chitosan solution by pad-dry(-cure) method to impart antimicrobial properties. Four chitosans of different degree of deacetylation(DAC: 65~95％) with similar molecular weight(ca. 50, 000) and one chitosan oligomer(MW 1, 800, DAC 86％) were used. Antimicribial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated by the Shake Flask Method. Treated fabrics were laundered up to 20 times according to AATCC Test Method 60-1986 and antimicrobial activity of laundered fabrics was evaluated. The antimicrobial activity was increased with the concentration and DAC of chitosan used. And the cured samples showed better durability to laundering than not-cured samples. Crosslinker and binder decreased the antimicrobial activity of fabrics treated with chitosan oligomer and were not effective to improve the durability to washing.