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The process of imparting antimicrobial properties into fabrics is a topic that is extremely beneficial in the medical field, military applications, and commercial uses due to the proximity of these fabrics to the human body. We focus on using N-halamines, which are recognized for their rechargeable and powerful microbial contact-killing properties. Inspired by reactive dye chemistry, a compound was designed using cyanuric chloride as a binding agent and cysteine as the linker to the intended N-halamine built off 5,5-dimethylhydantoin. This compound is comparable to a dichlorotriazine (DCT) dye, possessing water solubility and reactivity suitable for the industrial textile industry. The synthesized compound can be applied to fabric in a single reaction, avoiding complex processes and making it industrially viable.

We confirmed the synthesis of dye using NMR, FT-IR confirmed the attachment of dye to the fabric, and an iodometric titration was used to measure the uptake of chlorine. These validations ensure the effective chlorine loading, the capability of rechargeability, and overall storage stability of developed fabrics. A specialized antibacterial assay is utilized to affirm the contact-killing efficacy of the compounds, neither the hydantoin nor chlorination alone imparts any antibacterial activity to the fabric. This project is meant to dye fabrics to ensure bacteria growth is inhibited and can be re-energized multiple times, ensuring it’s practical, durable, and effective in various real-world applications such as medical linen and athletic apparel.