Novel multifunctional water- and oil-repellent, antibacterial, and flame-retardant cellulose fibres created by the sol-gel process

This research aimed to prepare cotton fibres with novel multifunctional water- and oil-repellent, antibacterial, and flame-retardant properties. A three-component equimolar sol mixture, which included 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, and P, P-diphenyl-N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl) phosphinic amide, was applied to the cotton fabric using the sol-gel process. The presence of the coating on the cotton fibres was confirmed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The functional properties of the coated cotton fabric were determined from liquid contact angle measurements and antibacterial activity, burning behaviour, and thermo-oxidative stability studies. The results demonstrate that a unique, compatible, and uniform organic-inorganic hybrid polymer network was formed on the fabric surface, which preserved its simultaneous hydrophobic (water contact angle of 135 +/- 2 degrees), oleophobic (n-hexadecane contact angle of 117 +/- 1 degrees), and bactericidal (bacterial reduction of 100 %) properties and incorporated the enhanced thermo-oxidative stability of the modified cellulose fibres.