Simultaneous Coloration and Antibacterial Modification of Wool with Chitosan Oligosaccharide via Maillard Reaction

Abstract

Abstract Conventionally, dyeing and functional modification of wool fabrics has been accomplished by two bath two step processes with suitable dyes and functional chemicals, which is usually time-consuming and energy-wasting and causes a serious environmental problem due to the use of large amounts of dyes, chemicals and water. In this study, non-toxic chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) was applied to simultaneous dyeing and antibacterial finishing of wool by using Maillard reaction under a mild condition. The reaction between COS and wool keratin was demonstrated from the results of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) which showed that new polymers were formed. The color yield (K/S) of the wool fabrics from maillard browning could be obtained via the adjustment of reaction time, temperature and pH. Proper chemical pretreatments could significantly improve the absorbency of COS on the wool and a stronger color strength (K/S) obtained. Meanwhile, the dyed wool revealed excellent antibacterial behavior.