An Approach to Impart Bactericidal Effect to Viscose Fabric Using Ionic Liquids

THE ANIONIC agent (AA) dichloro triazinyl amino benzene .........sulphonate was prepared and applied to viscose fabrics. The pretreated fabrics were then treated with selected ionic liquids (ILs); namely 1-butyl 3-methyl imidazolium bromide (BMIB), 1-butyl 3-methyl imidazolium chloride (BMIC), 1-ethyl 3-methyl imidazolium acetate (EMIA) and 1-ethyl 3-methyl imidazolium ethyl sulphate (EMIES). Viscose fabrics treated with AA/IL system has shown excellent bacterial resistance to gram +ve and gram –ve bacteria when properly treated with the selected ionic liquid. The substantivity of the cationic agent to viscose fabric and hence the bactericidal effect, increase in the order BMIB>BMIC>EMIES>EMIA. Marvelous durability of the treated fabrics was observed after 10 washing cycles of the treated fabrics. Infrared spectroscopy as well as nitrogen content of the untreated as well as treated viscose fabrics was conducted to ensure strong and permanent fixation of both the anionic agent and the ionic liquids to the viscose fabrics.