A top-down and in situ strategy for intrinsic acicular nanostructure enhanced ultradurable superhydrophobic and anti-icing aramid fabric

Abstract

Essential requirements of protective clothing with multi-scenario practicability deserve intensive attention. Aramid fabric is widely used to protect industrial and outdoor workers operating under various hazardous conditions but is susceptible to fouling, subzero cold water and icing, resulting in severely deteriorated protective properties. However, the chemical inertness of aramid fabrics limits their further functionalization. This issue is addressed herein by developing a novel top-down strategy to construct an intrinsic densely packed acicular nanostructure on the surface of aramid fiber through the proton donor-assisted deprotonation-induced roughening (PAIR) method. The PAIR treatment consists of extracting hydrogen protons from the amide moiety and controllably dissociating the outer shell of the aramid fibers without destroying its hard-core structure. Such a “rough-surface-on-intact-core” texture endows the fabric with greatly enhanced water repellency, anti-icing and anti-fouling properties without sacrificing its impressive mechanical properties, moisture permeability and flame retardancy. Remarkably, the treated fabric can load 37 times its own weight in water, presenting an increased buoyancy and demonstrates an icing delay time of 1920 s, which is 1150 % that of a pristine aramid fabric. Featuring the easy processability, high endurance and multiple functions, the fabric is promising for applications in personal protective equipment and advanced functional textiles with multiple tasks under harsh weather events.