Abstract
Cotton fabric was treated with chitosan-silane mixed solution by pad-dry-cure process to improve the performance properties as well as antimicrobial activity and its washing durability. 98% deacethylated chitosan of 38$\times$10$^4$ molecular weight was selected as antimicrobial agent and methyltrimethoxysilane and gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane were used as flexible binder. Cotton fabric was impregnated with 0.5% chitosan and silane of various concentration. Percent add-on of chitosan and silane increased as the concentration of silane increased resulting in improved antimicrobial activity and washing durability. An application of silane into chitosan finishing bath improved the performance properties of cotton fabric. Tear strength and crease resistance, softness, and whiteness of cotton fabric treated with chitosan-silane composite solution were efficiently improved without significant loss of tensile strength as compared with those treated with chitosan alone. In addition, further improvement of thermal stability of cotton was achieved with silane application.