Surface Modification of Cotton Fabric Using TiO ₂ Nanoparticles for Self-Cleaning, Oil–Water Separation, Antistain, Anti-Water Absorption, and Antibacterial Properties

Abstract

Superhydrophobicity is of interest for practical applications such as water repellency, self-cleaning, stain resistance, antibacterial properties, and oil–water separation. In this work, a superhydrophobic coating on cotton fabric is prepared by simple immersion in TiO ₂ nanoparticles and perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane solution. Its antiwetting properties, surface morphology, and functionality are characterized. The cotton fabric shows superhydrophobicity with a water static contact angle of 169.3 ± 2.1° and tilt angle of 6.3 ± 2.0°. The coating is also characterized by performing stability tests, and it shows excellent mechanical durability, chemical stability, and thermal stability. Additionally, the water droplet dynamic on the coated surface is also studied. The coated cotton fabric exhibits excellent self-cleaning, stain resistance, rust stain resistance, anti-water absorption, and antibacterial properties. It can also be used in oil–water separation with a high separation efficiency and excellent reusability.