One-step preparation of superhydrophobic cotton fabric based on thiol-ene click chemistry

Abstract

This study has attempted to use the click chemistry reaction, wherein vinyl trimethoxysilane (VTMS) and mercaptan react under ultraviolet (UV) light to produce a hydrophobic reagent and hydrolyse under appropriate conditions. The hydrolysed product is dehydrated and condensed with cotton fabric at high temperatures to obtain superhydrophobicity. Herein, the effect of different carbon chain length reactants on the hydrophobicity of cotton fabric was discussed, and it was found that different products showed different hydrophobicity. The static contact angle was 159°, and the sliding angle was 7.2°. The chemical structure and morphological changes of the surface of the fiber after the modification were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The results showed that the surface of the modified cotton fiber was wrapped by a micron-level polymer resistant to UV, acids, acetone solvents, and water washing. Thus, this novel preparation approach developed a superhydrophobic cotton with multiple functions, such as self-cleaning and oil–water separation and has promising applications in complex fields.