Antimicrobial modification of polyester by admicellar polymerization.

The N-halamine monomer 3-(4'-vinylbenzyl)-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (VBDMH) was synthesized and employed to form thin films on the surfaces of polyester fibers by surface polymerization with the aid of a cationic surfactant. The coated samples were characterized by FTIR and SEM. The thin film coatings could be rendered biocidal by exposure to dilute sodium hypochlorite. The antimicrobial polyesters were challenged with Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Complete inactivation of S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7 was observed within 10 and 30 min of contact time, respectively. The chlorine bonded to the coatings was very stable under standard washing tests and UVA irradiation tests, and much of the lost chlorine could be regenerated by rechlorination. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.