Green Synthesis of Robust Superhydrophobic Antibacterial and UV-Blocking Cotton Fabrics by a Dual-Stage Silanization Approach

Synthesis of multifunctional fabrics with long-lasting durability remains a quest for researchers in the past decade. In this work, robust coatings on cotton fabrics for superhydrophobic, antibacterial, and UV-blocking functionalities by a dual-stage silanization technique are reported. Aminopropyltriethoxysilane is utilized as a silane cross-linker to anchor zinc oxide nanoparticles to the pristine cotton fabric surface, followed by modification with a silane hydrophobe, hexadecyltrimethoxysilane. This dual-silanization approach results in highly functional fabrics displaying superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 154 degrees, water shedding angle of 2 degrees, antibacterial activity of up to 98%, and UV-blocking ability more than 200 times of pristine cotton. The as-prepared fabrics display excellent durability against abrasion, ultrasonic washing, immersion in different pH solutions, and UV irradiation. Moreover, the air permeability and flexural rigidity of the fabrics are still within the required breathability and wearer comfortability for clothing applications. The reported process is simple, cost-effective, and green, showing great promise for large-scale production of multifunctional fabrics.