Functionalization of cotton fabrics with rutile TiO_2 nanoparticles: Applications for superhydrophobic, UV-shielding and self-cleaning properties~1

摘要

The superhydrophobic cotton fabrics were prepared by combining the coating of titanium dioxide (TiO _2) with the subsequent dodecafluoroheptyl-propyl-trimethoxysilane (DFTMS) modification. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed that the nanosized TiO _2 sphere consisted of granular rutile. The TiO _2 layer coated on the cotton altered both the surface roughness for enhancing the hydrophobicity and UV-shielding property. The cotton fabric samples showed excellent water repellency with a water contact angle as high as 162°. The UV-shielding was characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry, and the results indicated that the fabrics could dramatically reduce the UV radiation. The photocatalytic progress showed that organic stains were successfully degraded by exposure of the stained fabric to UV radiation. Such multifunctional cotton fabrics may have potentials for commercial applications.