Polymer-grafted modification of cotton fabrics by SI-ARGET ATRP

Cotton fabrics with sophisticated surface-specific properties were obtained by grafting poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(oligo(ethylene oxide) monomethyl ether methacrylate) (POEOMA), poly(N,Ndimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) and quaternized PDMAEMA (QPDMAEMA) bushes on cotton surfaces using surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET ATRP) of three rather different monomers in a water-ethanol solvent. Due to the different physical properties and chemical composition of grafted polymers, the properties of such obtained cotton fabrics can be tailored including mechanical properties from enhanced tensile strength to increased breaking elongation, hydrophilic/hydrophobic characteristics from superhydrophilic to hydrophobic, varied water absorption abilities, different dye adsorption capabilities and charge properties. This work presents a high potential surface modification route towards functional textiles which are expected to play an important role in the future applications.