16 - Electrostatic self-assembled nanolayer films for cotton fibers

Abstract

Publisher Summary The use of multilayered polymeric films offers the possibility of creating multicomposite molecular assemblies with great levels of reproducibility and controlled molecular architectures. While these high levels of control have been reached in planar and homogeneous surfaces such as silicon, glass, gold, and other synthetic materials, their realization in natural fibers has not been achieved. Natural fibers offer unique challenges as not only are their cross-sections irregular, but their surfaces are chemically and physically heterogeneous. However, having the ability to control the surface of a natural fiber offers great rewards that go far beyond pure economics as natural fibers are renewable and biodegradable resources. This chapter discusses the principles of electrostatic self-assembly for creating nanolayer films. The Langmuir–Blodget (LB) technique allows monolayers to be created by using a non-solvent as a substrate. Once the monolayers have formed over the surface of a non-solvent system, they can be transferred onto a solid support. This technique, pioneered in the 1960s, is believed to be the first synthetic nano-scale heterostructure. Any number of different textile fibers and fabrics could possibly be used as substrates for the electrostatic self-assembly of nanolayers as far as they could hold charges on their surfaces. Possible candidates include polyamides as well as hemp, silk, and many others.