Abstract
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and phosphorylated nanocellulose fibrils (PCNFs) were used as functional screen-print coatings on flame-retardant (FR) fabric, to improve its thermal resistance and thermophysiological comfort (wetting, water vapour and heat transmission) properties, while inducing it with electrical conductivity and UV protection. The effect of PCNF printing, followed by applying a hydrophobic polyacrylate (AP), on the same (back/B, turned outwards) or other (front/F, turned towards skin) side of the fabric, with and without the addition of 0.1–0.4 wt% SWCNTs, was studied by determining the amount of applied coating and its distribution (microscopic imaging), and measuring the fabric’s colour, air permeability, thickness, mechanical, flame and abrasion resistance properties. Due to the synergistic effect of PCNF and SWCNTs, both-sided printed fabric (front-side printed with PCNF and back-side with SWCNTs within AP) resulted in an increased heat transfer (25%) and an improved thermal resistance (shift of degradation temperature by up to 18 °C towards a higher value) and UV protection (UPF of 109) without changing the colour of the fabric. Such treatment also affected the moisture management properties with an increased water-vapour transfer (17%), reduced water uptake (39%) and asymmetric wettability due to the hydrophilic front (Contact Angle 46°) and hydrophobic back (129°) side. The increased tensile (16%) and tear (39%) strengths were also assessed in the warp direction, without worsening the abrasion resistance of the front-side. A pressure-sensing electrical conductivity (up to 4.9∙10−4 S/cm with an increase to 12.0∙10−4 S/cm at 2 bars) of the SWCNT-printed side ranks the fabric among the antistatic, electrostatic discharge (ESD) or electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding protectives.
Highlights
Resistance to heat and fire from the environment towards the human body are the main functional properties of flame-retardant (FR) textiles, which is achieved through thermal stability and insulating ability
In the case of two-layer back-side printing, where the phosphorylatedcellulose cellulosenanofibrils nanofibrils (PCNFs) was printed as the first layer under the a hydrophobic polyacrylate (AP), the empty spaces between threads were almost completely filled, which was even more pronounced with the addition of single-wall CNTs (SWCNTs)’ (PCNF + 0.4SWCNT/AP); and again, there was almost no coating seen on the unprinted/front-side
For two-sided printing, the hydrophobicity (CA of 130–140◦ ) of the fabric’s back-side was not affected by the addition of SWCNTs, but it was highly decreased on the front-side when SWCNTs were applied though the PCNF, and, further, to 51◦ when applied within AP, which turned this side hydrophilic
Summary
Resistance to heat and fire from the environment towards the human body are the main functional properties of flame-retardant (FR) textiles, which is achieved through thermal stability and insulating ability. More thermally stable [26] phosphorylated nanocellulose (PCNF) with even better moisture absorption ability [27] and good colloidal dispersibility due to the presence of anionic phosphorous acid groups on the cellulose fibrils is used, in combination with single-wall CNTs (SWCNTs) to improve the fabric’s thermophysiological comfort, flame retardancy and UV protection, while simultaneously obtaining an electro-conductive surface with an antistatic, electrostatic discharge or electromagnetic shielding protection properties To achieve this goal, the fabric was first printed with PCNF (on its front or back side) and with a hydrophobic polyacrylate (AP), applied on the fabric back-side, with or without different content of SWCNTs pre-dispersed in the water-based acrylic system. The influence of the coating’s mass on the fabric’s thickness, air permeability, surface wetting, thermal and water-vapour resistance were considered, followed by assessing of its colour change, UV protection, electrical conductivity, mechanical, flame and abrasion resistance properties
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