Preparation of cellulose nanocrystal-dressed fluorinated polyacrylate latex particles via RAFT-mediated Pickering emulsion polymerization and application on fabric finishing

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystal-dressed fluorinated polyacrylate latex particles were prepared via RAFT-mediated Pickering emulsion polymerization using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) modified with amphiphilic polymers as Pickering stabilizers. The main work was to study the effect of pH value and the amount of fluorinated monomer on emulsion polymerization and finished fabric properties. The monomer conversion increased first and then decreased as the pH and the amount of fluorine monomer increased, while a reverse trend was noted for the particle size and particle size distribution. The results obtained from TEM verified that the latex particles presented a spher-like mophology with a well-defined core–shell structure. 1H-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy were employed to study the chemical structure of cellulose nanocrystal-dressed fluorinated polyacrylate latex particles. The SEM and EDX analysis indicated that cellulose nanocrystal-dressed fluorinated polyacrylate latex particles were successfully adhered to the fiber surface and the finished fabric presented a relatively rough surface morphology. The contact angle results exhibited the finished fabric had excellent water and oil resistance.