Fabrication of superhydrophobic cotton fabrics through wrapping silica with plasma-induced grafting polymerization

Cotton fabric is commonly used in daily life, but it is easily wetted and contaminated by liquid. Herein, we present a simple and environmentally friendly plasma technology for hydrophobic modification of cotton fabric. In order to endow superhydrophobicity to cotton fabric, helium plasma inducing graft polymerization of 1,3,5,7-tetravinyl-1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4(Vi)) was utilized to wrap SiO2 particles on cotton fabrics. Cotton fabrics were successively dipped in silica sol and D4(Vi), then treated by plasma. Cotton fabrics before and after modification were characterized by using field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. The experimental results showed that the cotton-SiO2-D4(Vi) consisted of nanoscale SiO2 protrusions and low-surface-energy film polymerized by D4(Vi). In addition, the one wrapped SiO2 of 161 nm presented excellent hydrophobicity, washing durability, and repellency toward different types of liquids with a water contact angle of 152 degrees.