Development of water repellent cotton fabric with application of ZnO, Al2O3, TiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles modified with ormosils

Abstract

The study aimed to achieve durable water repellent properties in cotton fabric by creating roughness on its surface using zinc acetate, aluminium sulphate, aluminium isopropoxide, zirconium acetylacetonate and titanium isopropoxide as the inorganic precursors with subsequent hydrophobic modification with ORMOSILs (ORganic MOdified SILanes) consisting of long-chain alkyl silanes. The contact angle values before and after washing treatment, whiteness values, tear strength and bending length values of the fabric samples treated with these organic-inorganic hybrid materials were measured. Moreover, the microstructural properties of the cotton fabric were analysed by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy. It was concluded that the fabric samples treated with zinc- and zirconium-based inorganic precursors have durable water repellent properties. The results were successful for the fabric samples when the wet chemical route contained three steps: nanocrystal preparation, nanoparticle growth and hydrophobic modification. Moreover, the process has the advantages of simplicity, low cost, low temperature and environmental friendliness without being based on perfluorination.