Durable superhydrophobic and oleophobic cotton fabric based on the grafting of fluorinated POSS through silane coupling and thiol-ene click reaction

Fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (F-POSS) has been widely used for preparing liquid-repellent coatings. It is usually pre-synthesized and dispersed in expensive fluoro-solvent (or fluorosurfactant solution) for dip coating. Since the melting temperature of F-POSS is not high (122–140 °C), its loss during use is inevitable. However, reports on the grafting of F-POSS on substrate are rare. In this work, we report the fabrication of superhydrophobic and oleophobic cotton fabrics through the silane coupling of (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetradecyl) trimethoxysilane (FAS) and 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (MPTES) on cotton fiber and the subsequent UV-induced thiol-ene click reaction between octavinyloctasilasesquioxane (OVPOSS) and MPTES thiols (and 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorododecyl-1-thiol, PFDT). The as-prepared FAS/SH-F-POSS cotton fabric showed superhydrophobicity and high oleophobicity, as well as good durability and self-healing ability. It can withstand at least 15 accelerated washing cycles, 2000 abrasion cycles over sandpaper, 10 cycles of O2 plasma etching, acid/alkaline/salt solution corrosion, and 25 cycles of UV aging/moist erosion. Such a durable superhydrophobic and oleophobic cotton fabric is useful for functional clothing and textile products in various fields.