Abstract

Nonwoven fabric was treated with chitosan solution to impart antimicrobial activities by pad-dry method. Antimicrobial activity was measured by Shake Flask Method. Two chitosans of different molecular weight(Mw) with similar degree of deacetylation(DDA) were used : ca. 1,800(chitosan oligomer : DDA 84%) and 180,000(DDA 86%). Chitosan oligomer displayed high antimicrobial activity against P. vulgaris at 0.01%, S. aureus and E. coli at 0.05% treatment concentration, shelving above 90% of reduction rate. Chitosan of Mw 180,000 was effective against S. aureus, E. coil and P. vulgaris at 0.05% treatment concentration, showing almost 100% reduction rate. While chitosan of Mw 180,000 shelved reduction rate above 75% against K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa at 0.5% treatment concentration, chitosan oligomer was not effective against them. Fabrics become stiffer and less air permeable as treatment concentration increases. Liquid strike-through time of the sample treated with 0.5% chitosan oligomer solution (3.0 sec) was comparable with a hydrophilic finished sample commercially available(2.6 sec).

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