Phosphorylated Cotton Cellulose as a Matrix for Generating Chlorine Dioxide.

Currently, developing disinfectant materials is of utmost importance. A significant advantage of our fabric is its reusability. The disinfectants based on a natural polymer of cellulose have been barely investigated. Our work presents a modified cellulose material, and the data obtained for the first time on the chlorine dioxide generation process when treating the material with a sodium chlorite alcohol solution. A method of applying NaClO 2 onto the fabric by impregnating it with a solution sprayed by an aerosol generator is proposed. This kind of fabric is capable of withstanding multiple usages after pre-washing and rinsing. The lowest alcohols-methanol, ethanol and isopropanol-are proposed as optimal solvents. It was shown that the phosphorylated cotton cellulose fabric impregnated with this solution generates chlorine dioxide during the first 25-35 min. Neither humidity nor expedites improve the process of releasing the chlorine dioxide, but high moisture content in the air causes the complete absorption of ClO 2 by microdrops and its removal from the gas environment. A promising technique for removing the excess ClO 2 by the means of UV treatment is proposed: after 15 min of treating ClO 2 in the gas phase, it disappears entirely. These materials could be used as disinfectants in different industries, such as food and industrial manufacturing.