Superhydrophobic surfaces on cotton textiles by complex coating of silica nanoparticles and hydrophobization

By the complex coating of amino- and epoxy-functionalized silica nanoparticles on epoxy-functionalized cotton textiles to generate a dual-size surface roughness, followed by hydrophobization with stearic acid, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane, or their combination, superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared. The static water contact angle of the most superhydrophobic sample as prepared reaches 170 degrees for a 5 mu L droplet. The wettability and morphology were investigated by contact angle measurement and scanning electron microscopy. Characterizations by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis were also conducted. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.