Design and fabrication of thin polymer coating on cotton fabric surface to impart hydrophobicity: An admicellar polymerization approach

Abstract

The fluorinated poly(trifluoroethylmethacrylate) thin polymers were successfully prepared through free radical initiating admicellar polymerization approach using fluorosurfactant and 2,2,2-trifluoroethylmethacrylate (TFEM, monomer) system, which was initiated with potassium persulfate (KPS) initiator. The structure of the resultant polymer and morphology of the modified cotton fabric surfaces were confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis. The surface wettability of the modified cotton fabric was characterized by a water drop stay time and contact angle (CA) measurement. The coated cotton fabric exhibited excellent hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 137.79°.

Keywords:

• Admicellar polymerization
• fluoropolymer
• contact angle
• hydrophobicity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.