Phytic acid-induced durable fire-proof and hydrophobic complex coating for versatile cotton fabrics

To address the current development requirements for multifunctional cotton fabrics, a phytic acid-induced flame-retardant hydrophobic coating containing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and silicon (Si) was grafted on the surface of cotton fabrics using a facile step-by-step immersion method. The limiting oxygen index value improved to 31.2 %, decreasing to 26.7 % after 50 laundering cycles, while the fabric remained self-extinguishing effect in the vertical flammability test and showed a water contact angle of 126.1°. Cone calorimetry test showed that the modified fabric could not be ignited at the irradiation heat flux of 35 kW/m