Fabrication of C6-Fluorocarbon-dendrimer-based superhydrophobic cotton fabrics for multifunctional aspects

C6-Fluorocarbon-dendrimer has been applied to the cotton knit fabric to develop oil–water repellent, oil–water separation, acid-resistant, self-cleaning, UV-resistant, and antibacterial properties. The C6-Fluorocarbon (FC)-dendrimer-coated 100% cotton single jersey knitted fabric samples were prepared using the “pad-dry-cure” method. The 90 g/L and 100 g/L FC-dendrimer-treated cotton fabrics showed excellent water repellency and oil–water separation as well as good self-cleaning performance. However, air permeability and heat conductivity were reduced by 13%, 15%, and 40%, 54%, for 90 g/L and 100 g/L FC-dendrimer-treated cotton fabrics compared to untreated fabrics. The presence of FC-dendrimer in the treated fabric was confirmed by FTIR, SEM, EDX, and XRD analyses. SEM analysis was employed to study the morphology of deposited FC-dendrimer particles on the fabric surface. TGA and DTA evaluated thermal performance. The FC-dendrimer-treated fabric also showed acid resistance, self-cleaning performance, and UV resistance attribute. In addition, Bacterial population growth appears to be less in the FC-dendrimer-treated sample than in the untreated sample. Overall, the result suggests that FC-dendrimer can be a valuable ingredient in the manufacture of multifunctional products. Graphical abstract