Synthesis and characterization of chitosan based dye containing quaternary ammonium group

• A new antibacterial chitosan biopolymer was synthesized.
• The new chitosan biopolymer dye can be dissolved in alkaline solution.
• The reduction of antibacterial activity of the biopolymer dye can be more than 99%.

A new antimicrobial biopolymer dye was synthesized by reaction of quaternary ammonium salt of chitosan and reactive red x-3b. And quaternary ammonium salt of chitosan was produced by grafting glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride on chitosan. The synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), solubility test and antimicrobial test. Results show that the antimicrobial biopolymer dye was combined by N+(CH3)3 of quaternary ammonium salt of chitosan and sulfonic group of reactive red x-3b. Water solubility of chitosan biopolymer dye was increased as well as pH value. In addition, antibacterial property of new synthesized dye was excellent, whose antibacterial rates of Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli were both bigger than 99%. These results may provide new perspectives on improving the decorative properties and antimicrobial properties in wood industry.