Quaternary Ammonium Salt for Disinfectant

Quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) are cationic compounds containing alkyl groups in a chain length of C8–C18, which are water soluble and can be used as disinfectants in textile industries.

QAS are ionic compounds having a quaternary ammonium nitrogen, four alkyl or aryl groups connected to this nitrogen, and an anionic ion such as chloride or bromide. Among four alkyl groups, one is a long alkyl chain group containing more than eight hydrocarbons and also serves as the hydrophobic group. Hydrophobic groups on QAS tend to affect their antimicrobial functions (Tiller et al., 2001; Zhao and Sun, 2007). With stronger hydrophobicity, the more powerful antimicrobial functions the QAS has (Zhao and Sun, 2008) (Fig. 16.1 and Table 16.1). Many QAS compounds have surfactant functions. QAS are effective biocides when used in aqueous solutions and as liquid disinfectants. When QAS are chemically connected to fiber surfaces their functions can be impeded depending on how they are connected and the final structures of QAS on surfaces. Physically incorporated QAS in fibers can provide antimicrobial functions by gradually releasing them from fiber's surfaces during usage, which could provide the intended functions of the materials.