Preparation of Antibacterial Poly[(Acryloyloxyethyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride)‐co‐(Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate)‐co‐(Methyl Methacrylate)] via Aqueous Copolymerization and Its Multifunctional Applications for Paper Substrates

Antibacterial poly[(acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride)‐co‐(hydroxyethyl methacrylate)‐co‐(methyl methacrylate)] (P(DAC‐HEMA‐MMA)) was designed and synthesized via aqueous copolymerization using DAC, HEMA, and MMA as cationic, functional, and hydrophobic monomer, respectively. The structure, thermal property and elemental composition of the copolymer were characterized by multiple techniques. Antibacterial performance test showed that minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of P(DAC‐HEMA‐MMA) against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 3.12 mg/mL. When P(DAC‐HEMA‐MMA) was applied to the aged paper sample, its tensile strength, folding endurance, and tearing resistance were increased by 88.4%, 118.7%, and 60.5%, respectively, with a whiteness improvement of 21.5%. After dry‐heat aging, it still remained excellent anti‐aging ability. In addition, the antibacterial rates of the treated paper sample against E. coli and S. aureus reached 69.2% and 97.7%, respectively, and the treated one maintains unchangeable antibacterial performance after exposing to the ambient condition for 3 months; the water contact angle reached 118.9°, higher than that of the original paper sample, and however, it was decreased over time. All the results confirmed P(DAC‐HEMA‐MMA) treatment can effectively enhance the mechanical properties of the paper samples, and endow them with wonderful antibacterial and hydrophobic properties, thus holding multifunctional application in the field of paper postprocessing.