Synthesis of a Novel, Regenerable Anti-Microbial Dye for Cotton Textiles

In recent years, concerns surrounding disease transmission and rampant pandemics have increased significantly, with a search for commercially viable products that can inhibit the spread or growth of harmful viruses and bacteria. With the health and safety of the public in mind, antimicrobial fabrics, surfaces, and dyes have been studied, developed, and improved in recent decades, resulting in increased lifespans and viability of medical and personal protective equipment. This investigation aims to further develop a novel, regenerable anti-microbial dye for the use in the textile industry through the use of N-halamines for their antimicrobial nature, hydantoin rings for their stability, triazine dye chemistry for the binding of the dye to the fabric, and thiol-ene click chemistry for an industrially viable linker between the hydantoin and the triazine. The novelty of this dye’s regenerable anti-microbial effect is facilitated from exposure to a 1% hypochlorite (bleach) solution, allowing for the anti-microbial nature to endure the lifetime of the fabric to which it is attached. A working dye has been attached to fabric using a process that involves synthesizing the dye on the surface of the fabric, and testing of the dye has been completed through the utilization of NMR, IR, and a blinded microbial testing conducted using S. marcescens, which showed effective inhibition of microbial growth. Now, a more industrially viable process for producing the dye is in development. This top-down process will produce the dye before attachment to the surface of the fabric, and will yield a dye similar to those already used in the textile industry. This industrially viable process will allow for more efficient dyeing, which can more rapidly alleviate the concerns surrounding disease transmission. With this product, personal protective equipment waste, such as disposable masks and gowns, have the potential to be modified and/or reused, simultaneously reducing waste production from the medical field and reducing disease transmission for the public at large. Further, this dye has potential consumer product applications by reducing odors produced on commercial active wear through the inhibition of bacterial growth originating from bodily oils and fluids, giving it a wider, publicly applicable scope of use.