Abstract
Most studies on superhydrophobic fabrics focus on their realization using additive manufacturing (bottom-up) techniques. Here we present the direct modification of three different fabrics using a plasma-based method to obtain anti-adhesive and self-cleaning properties. A two-step plasma processing method is used: (a) for the creation of micro-nanoscale features on the fabric surface (plasma texturing step) and (b) the minimization of the fabric surface energy (by a short plasma deposition step of a very thin, low surface energy layer). The entire process takes only 14 min and all fabrics after processing exhibit high water static contact angles (WSCA > 150°), low contact angle hysteresis (CAH < 7°) and advantageous mechanical durability against hand-rumpling. The method is simple and generic, and it can be therefore expanded to other polymeric fabrics (i.e., acrylic) in addition to polyester, without any limitation rising from the weaving characteristics of the fabric or the starting nature of the material (i.e., hydrophobic or hydrophilic).
Highlights
A lot of attention has been recently given on optimizing the properties of fabrics
The extent of the topography is influenced by the weaving, fabric material, and coating characteristics, but the strength of the plasma micro-nanotexturing technology is that it allows for such topography to be created on the surface of any polymeric material
As we will demonstrate all fabrics were successfully transformed to superhydrophobic
Summary
A lot of attention has been recently given on optimizing the properties of fabrics. It is clear that clothing is the most important industry for fabrics; fabrics can be used in other interesting applications (i.e., oil-water separation [1]). Polymeric fabrics and textiles with special functionalities should have durability against laundry wear, dry cleaning and other mechanical wear stresses [2,3,4], if they are intended to be used for clothing. For this reason, such durability tests have become very popular [5]. Robust superamphiphobic fabrics were prepared after coating with a solution comprising poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), fluoroalkyl silane, and a volatile solvent This fabric exhibited contact angles of 162◦ , 156◦ , and 150◦ for water, olive oil, and silicone oil, respectively [11]. A superhydrophobic cotton fabric was prepared by introducing a fluorinated acrylate monomer, 1H,1H,2H,2H–nonafluorohexyl–1–acrylate, onto cotton fabric under simultaneous radiation
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