Antimicrobial Cellulose: Preparation and Application of 5-Methyl-5-Aminomethylhydantoin

A new N-halamine precursor, 5-methyl-5-aminomethylhydantoin (AH), was synthesized. This N-halamine precursor can be coated onto cotton surfaces with the addition of the crosslinking agent butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) and rendered biocidal by exposure to halogen solutions either before or after curing the coating or material. Standard washing tests show that covalently bound AH/BTCA on the cotton swatches can survive repeated washing cycles. After 50 washing cycles, chlorinated cotton swatches had lost 98.7 % of oxidative Cl⁺, but after rechlorination, almost 43.5 % of Cl⁺ was regained. Biocidal tests indicated that the cotton swatches coated with chlorinated AH/BTCA were effective against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative Escherichia coli.