Fabrication of fluoropolymer-modified hydrophobic functionalization of cotton fabric by admicellar polymerization

Abstract

Herein, a hydrophobic polyfluoroacrylate adhered cotton fabric having a smart affair with water under oil, is developed using a simple surfactant-assisted polymerization technique commonly known as admicellar polymerization of low surface energy trifluoroethyl acrylate monomer. The hydrophobicity of the treated substrates was determined by the contact angle. The results show that the cotton fabric became hydrophobic. The surface investigation conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provided distinctive features of the untreated and treated fabric samples. The elementary analysis was also carried out on the substrate through energy dispersive X-ray to confirm the presence of hydrophobic groups. In addition to this, the hydrophobic cotton fabric shows excellent durability against home laundering and simple adhesive peel testing.

Keywords:

• Cotton fabric
• admicellar polymerization
• contact angle
• hydrophobicity

Acknowledgments

Authors thank Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia for the various instrumental facility to carry out this research. S. Mondal is thankful to the CSIR (Govt. of India) for the senior research fellowship [Sanction no. 09/1156(0007)/2019-EMR-1].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.