Facile Preparation of Superhydrophobic Cotton Fabric Using Silicone Oil and Inorganic Nanoparticles

Superhydrophobic textiles have attracted great interest due to their special functions and wide applications. However, it is still a huge challenge to construct a durable superhydrophobic coating for large-scale applications due to the complicated process and high cost. In this work, a facile two-step method was developed to construct superhydrophobic cotton fabric with fluorine-free treatment. The cotton fabrics were treated with modified nano SiO2 to construct rough surfaces. Then, the silicone oil was introduced into the surface of the cotton fabric to form superhydrophobic cotton fabric. The results showed that the modified nano SiO2 and silicone oil were stably fixed on the fiber surface. The static water contact angle test showed that contact angle of the modified cotton fabric was 158°, indicating excellent superhydrophobic properties. Furthermore, the self-cleaning and anti-pollution test results showed that the superhydrophobic cotton fabric possessed good self-cleaning and antifouling performance. This superhydrophobic fabric avoids the use of fluoropolymers and reduces the harm to humans and environment, showing a wide range of applications.