Nonwetting, nonrolling, stain resistant polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane coated textiles

Abstract

Cotton/polyester fabric surfaces were modified using nanostructured organic-inorganic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) molecules via solution dip coating. Surface wetting characteristics of coatings prepared from two chemically and structurally different POSS molecules, a closed cage fluorinated dodecatrifluoropropyl POSS (FL-POSS) and an open cage nonfluorinated trisilanolphenyl POSS (Tsp-POSS), were evaluated with time and compared with Teflon. Surface analysis, including Atomic Force Microscopy, SEM/EDAX, and NMR revealed the presence of POSS aggregates on the fabric surface leading to a spiky topography, high roughness, and hysteresis. POSS coated fabrics showed complete reversal of surface wetting characteristics with contact angles higher than the benchmark Teflon surface. Water contact angle measured as a function of time showed equivalent or better performance for POSS-coated surfaces in comparison to Teflon. Furthermore, FL-POSS coated fabric exhibited exceptional stain and acid resistance along with a 38% reduction in relative surface friction. Additionally, "nonsliding" and high surface adhesion behavior of water droplets on the FL-POSS coated fabric are reported. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.