New antimicrobial textile finishes with enhanced action against microbes are needed for improved protection in critical applications, including hospital infection control and biodefense. This study compares fabric treated with a novel quaternary ammonium compound-based antimicrobial treatment with untreated fabric, using a new method for determining the antimicrobial efficacy of fabrics and textiles. The effects of contact temperature, contact time, and bacterial load were demonstrated. The lowest concentrations of bacterial cells were killed very quickly. Increasing contact time resulted in inactivation of larger numbers of cells, as did elevating temperature from 24 °C to 37 °C. Important physical properties of the fabrics were retained. The simplicity, and good reproducibility, of the test procedure supports its use for the rapid screening and assessment of fabric specimens for antimicrobial activity.

Polylactic acid-based membranes received considerable attention due to its novel biocompatibility, renewability, and biodegradability. In this study, PLA electrospun nanofibrous membrane was prepared and 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was used as a monomer for surface grafting of polymer chains via the atom transfer radical polymerization method. Then the PLA nanofibers were quaternized by using bromoethane. The characterization of poly(DMAEMA) graft PLA nanofiber (poly(DMAEMA)-g-PLA) membranes was done by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results showed that the diameter of PLA nanofibers increased 15% as the concentration increased from 10% to 12% and then increased 23% as the concentration of PLA solution increased from 10% to 15%. But the regularity of average diameters is best achieved at 12% concentration.

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