A novel strategy for fabricating robust superhydrophobic fabrics by environmentally-friendly enzyme etching

• Main Authors: Cheng, Yan, Zhu, Tianxue, Li, Shuhui, Huang, Jianying, Mao, Jiajun, Yang, Hui, Gao, Shouwei, Chen, Zhong, Lai, Yuekun
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science & Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials; Superhydrophobic; Fabrics
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/136720
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Superhydrophobic silk fabrics were prepared using an environmentally friendly enzyme-etching approach, followed by the modification with methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) via a simple thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process at 70 °C. The effects of the concentration, treatment time and temperature of enzyme on the etched surface properties were discussed. The composite superhydrophobic silk fabrics demonstrated excellent self-cleaning ability, relatively unscathed effecting their intrinsic properties such as the luster, softness, color and style of the fabrics. Furthermore, these treated fabrics demonstrated excellent mechanical durability after silane-treatment as evidenced by the cyclic abrasion and laundering tests. The composite superhydrophobic cotton fabrics have also demonstrated a high efficiency in oil-water separation. The facile technology via enzymatic hydrolysis to etch the substrate possesses extensive potential applications on various other cellulose-based substrates.