Fabrication of layer-by-layer self-assembled coating modified cotton fabric with flame retardancy and hydrophobicity based on sepiolite

A flame retardant and hydrophobic coating was prepared by layer-by-layer self-assembly on cotton fabric. The coated fabric was treated with polyethylenimine, hypophosphorous acid modified chitosan, sepiolite and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The thermal stabilities of treated cotton fabrics were enhanced at high temperature compared with those of untreated cotton fabrics. The cotton fabric treated with sepiolite (cotton-3) and cotton fabric treated with sepiolite and PDMS (cotton-4) showed 50.2% and 56.1% reductions in the peak heat release rate (PHRR) values compared with those of untreated cotton. Moreover, the sepiolite and PDMS in the coating resulted in hydrophobic surfaces on the cotton fabrics.