Robust UV-cured superhydrophobic cotton fabric surfaces with self-healing ability

For extending the lifespan of practical applications, a robust and self-healing superhydrophobic cotton fabric was successfully fabricated by facile dip coating and UV curing. The low surface energy and micro/nanoapophysis of superhydrophobic fabric were contributed by dip-coating components consisting of tri-functionality vinyl perfluoro decanol, vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and octavinyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. These obtained cotton fabrics exhibited superior resistance to various liquid pollutants, and had excellent resistance to the acid and alkali liquid. Furthermore, they were durable to withstand 10,000 cycles of abrasion, 120 h of accelerated weathering test and heating or freezing test Most importantly, after 200 cycles of severe abrasion, they were able to restore the superhydrophobicity by brief heating treatment and showed excellent self-healing ability. These designed cotton fabric may contribute to the development of durable superhydrophobic textiles. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.