Robust, breathable and antibacterial superamphiphobic cotton fabrics prepared by layer-by-layer dip coating

Abstract

Superamphiphobic fabrics with both antibacterial and breathable properties are essential for medical applications i.e. stain protection, while challengeable in preparation. In this work, a novel multifunctional superamphiphobic fabric is freshly prepared using a simple layer-by-layer dip-coating strategy. The polydopamine (PDA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), branched poly (ethylenimine) (bPEI), silicon dioxide (SiO2), octadecylamine (ODA), poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FAS) are successfully grafted on cotton fabrics. Attributed to the hierarchical micro-nano structure and low surface energy of the coating, the prepared breathable superamphiphobic fabric (B-SAF) exhibits super-repellency and stain resistance against water and oily liquids, even the liquid surface tension is as low as 27.5 mN/m. Moreover, high breathability, good moisture resistance, excellent self-cleaning property were obtained, and good durability were maintained after varied mechanical and chemical damage, high temperatures, and continuous light exposure. More importantly, benefiting from the superamphiphobicity and the presence of amines, B-SAF demonstrates excellent resistance to blood staining and antibacterial activity, which exhibits strong application potentials in the fields of advanced functional textiles, protective clothing, antifouling and chemical engineering.