Long-Alkylated Quaternary Ammonium-Inspired Structural Design of Multifunctional Cotton Textiles with Antibacterial, Self-Cleaning, and Comfortable Properties for Potential Protective Clothing Applications

Driven by escalating concerns over bacterial infections and the global emphasis on public health, the development of multifunctional cotton textiles (CTs) integrating antibacterial, antibacterial adhesion, and self-cleaning properties has garnered significant attention. However, developing durable, antibacterial, and antibacterial adhesion surfaces on CTs without compromising inherent wearing comfort remains a significant challenge. Herein, inspired by long-alkylated quaternary ammonium, chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) and octadecyl amine (ODA) were simultaneously introduced into CTs by utilizing acetoacetyl groups as chemical platforms. The synergistic combination of COS and ODA induces an antibacterial effect analogous to long-alkylated quaternary ammonium by mimicking the structure. Therefore, COS/ODA-CTs achieved stronger antibacterial and antiviral properties (S. aureus: 99.98%, E. coli: 99.78%, and MS2: 98.6%) than CTs finished with COS or ODA alone. Meanwhile, the COS/ODA-CTs exhibit superior antibacterial and antiviral durability. Furthermore, the hydrophobic properties of COS/ODA-CTs conferred self-cleaning and antibacterial adhesion properties, achieving antibacterial adhesion rates against S. aureus and E. coli of 99.97 and 93.28%, respectively. More importantly, the physical properties, including mechanical strength, air permeability, moisture permeability, and hand feeling of the COS/ODA-CTs, were well maintained. These multifunctional CTs provide insights into powerful antibacterial surfaces and show great potential for improving public health and protective clothing applications.