Fluoropolymer adhered bioinspired hydrophobic, chemically durable cotton fabric for dense liquid removal and self-cleaning application

ABSTRACT

Hydrophobic cotton fabric with a very high contact angle and low sliding angle hysteresis was prepared using a single-pot coating solution containing fluorosurfactant (FS 61) and fluoro-monomer (octafluoropentylacrylate, OFPA). In this study, fluorine-based acrylate ester monomer was polymerized on cotton fabric by admicellar polymerization to make the cotton surface profoundly rough and, furthermore, very hydrophobic with high contact angle value, 144  ±  2^o. The surface morphology was determined using electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Modified washing durable hydrophobic cotton fabric provides an innovative and novel pathway for the practical application of self-cleaning textiles and dense solvent removal. It had excellent stability against daily household used liquids and even in a hazardous condition.

KEYWORDS:

• Cotton fabric
• admicellar polymerization
• self-cleaning

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to the Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, India, 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.

Conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India (Grant No. 09/1156(0007)/2019-EMR-1).