Non-fluorinated sprayable fabric finish for durable and comfortable superhydrophobic textiles

A non-fluorinated and facile treatment was developed for fabricating durable yet comfortable superhydmphobic textiles. The surface treatment consisted of two sequential sprays: Spray 1, colloidally stable silica nanoparticles synthesized via a sol-gel method, and Spray 2, an optimized combination of reactive polydimethylsiloxane and a long-chain alkyl silane. DLVO theory was applied to evaluate the colloidal stability of the silica nanoparticles and indicated that nanoparticles with the average particle size of 214 nm dispersed in a 75/25 v/v ethanol/water mixture can be further stabilized by extracting the ammonia catalyst. The response surface method (RSM) was utilized to optimize the composition of Spray 2. A water contact angle of 157 degrees was achieved and remained up to 140 degrees after 15 washing cycles. 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APS) was used to improve the abrasion resistance. Pretreatment using a 1 w/v % solution of APS in ethanol maintained a 5 degrees higher water contact angle after 1,000 Martindale abrasion cycles, compared to the superhydrophobic textile without pretreatment. The air permeability of the treated textiles was 26.4 mL/s.5cm(2) and the bending length and crease recovery were statistically unchanged, demonstrating a durable water-repellent fabric finish that maintains physical comfort properties.

Automated summary

This study developed a non-fluorinated and easy treatment method to fabricate durable and comfortable superhydrophobic textiles. By utilizing two sequential sprays, a special liquid coating was created on the textile surface, maintaining excellent superhydrophobic properties that remained stable even after multiple washing cycles.