The polymer dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride-allyl glycidyl ether-methacrylic shortened as P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA) was prepared via free radical polymerization. P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA)/nano-ZnO composites were obtained after mixing the polymer under different pH with nano-ZnO. P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA)/nano-ZnO composites were characterized by Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that nano-ZnO existed among the composites, and the polymer chain did not encapsulate nano-ZnO. The crystal structure of polymer changed because of the complexation of the polymer with nano-ZnO. The morphologies of P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA)/nano-ZnO composites were core-shell and long strip structure when the pH of polymer was 2.6 and 3.0. After composite materials were loaded onto cotton fabrics, the surface morphology of the fabrics was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The antibacterial properties of P(DMDAAC-AGE-MM) polymer and P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA)/nano-ZnO composites treated cottons and treated cottons after being washed 5 times (equivalent of household washing 25 times) were tested against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, ATCC25923) and the fungus Candida albicans (C albicans, ATCC10231). P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA)/nano-ZnO treated cottons had higher antibacterial activities than P(DMDAAC-AGE-MAA) treated cottons. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.