Naturally occurring compound as antibacterial agent to yield a Janus cotton fabric with durable antibacterial functionality and skin-friendly characteristics

Toxicity continues to be a significant issue within the field of antibacterial textiles. To confer antibacterial functionality onto cotton fabrics while ensuring skin-friendly characteristics without direct contact with antibacterial agents, a novel Janus cotton fabric was developed. The cotton fibers were firstly oxidized using NaIO₄ to introduce aldehyde groups onto the fiber surfaces. Then, a mist treatment technique was employed to acetalize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzaldehyde (TBD) on one side of the oxidized cotton fabric, while collagen protein (CP) molecules were grafted on the other side through a Schiff base reaction. The resulting cotton fabric exhibits excellent antibacterial property and much improved wearing comfort. The resulting fabric achieved a remarkably high bacterial reduction rate (BR > 99%) against both E. coli and S. aureus, demonstrating excellent durability even after 120 washing cycles or 1000 rubbing cycles. Furthermore, skin irritation tests confirmed the modified fabric’s biosafety, while wearing comfort tests demonstrated enhanced comfort properties for the skin.