# Application of Novel Triazolium-Containing Hydrogels to Cotton Fabrics: Evaluation of Their Flame Retardancy and Antibacterial Properties

## TL;DR

This paper introduces new triazolium-based hydrogels applied to cotton fabrics, improving their flame resistance and antibacterial properties for protective clothing.

## Contribution

A novel method for developing flame-retardant and antibacterial cotton fabrics using triazolium-containing hydrogels is presented.

## Key findings

- PBDIL12_20, containing 20 wt% dicationic ionic salt, showed the highest flame retardancy in vertical flammability tests.
- Treated cotton fabrics achieved >99% bacteriostatic rates against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
- Thermal degradation mechanisms of triazolium salts are influenced by alkyl chain length and ring structure.

## Abstract

A novel series of
triazolium ionic salts were synthesized and characterized
using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as well as 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The
thermal degradation kinetics and activation energy of the ionic salts
were studied using Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa,
and Starink methodologies. The results indicated that the thermal
degradation mechanism of the synthesized triazolium flame retardants
is influenced by the mono- and dicationic triazolium rings with different
alkyl chain lengths. The activation energy increased with the decrease
in the alkyl chain length and the addition of a triazolium ring. Triazolium-containing
hydrogels were prepared and applied to cotton fabrics to enhance their
flame-retardant and antibacterial properties. The vertical flammability
test results confirmed that PBDIL12_20, which contained 20 wt % dicationic
ionic salt, exhibited the highest flame retardancy among the tested
samples. All the cotton fabrics treated with the triazolium hydrogels
exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and
Escherichia coli
, achieving bacteriostatic
rates of >99%. This study presents a novel method for the development
of flame-retardant and antibacterial cotton fabrics, which can be
used in protective clothing to safeguard skin from fire and health
hazards. The triazolium salts on normal cells (the human keratinocyte
cell line (HaCaT) and the human dermal fibroblast cell line (BJ))
were used for MTT viability analysis.