High density growth of ZnO nanorods on cotton fabric enables access to a flame resistant composite

We report a simple method for the high-density growth of radially aligned ZnO nanorods on cotton. In this hydrothermal growth strategy, a polytetrafluoroethylene frame is used to support the flexible cotton fabric throughout the ZnO crystallization process. The resulting ZnO–cotton composite contains the highest ZnO content reported to date for such materials and was discovered to have greater resistance to open flame than unmodified cotton. Prospects in fire-resistant fabrics are discussed.