Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-based fluoroether-containing terpolymers: Synthesis, characterization and their water and oil repellency evaluation for cotton fabric

Abstract

A series of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) based hybrid copolymers poly(POSS-co-methyl methacrylate -co- 4-vinylbenzyl fluoroether carboxylate) (P(POSS-MMA-VBFC)) were prepared via radical polymerization and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, gel permeation chromatography, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The thermal properties of these polymers (Td > 250 °C) were improved by the introduction of POSS cage. The cotton fabrics coated with the polymers possessed excellent water and oil repellency. The water and salad oil contact angle could be achieved from 133° to 159° and from 127° to 141° respectively as the content of POSS in the polymer increased from 0 to 7.1 wt %. Moreover, the cotton fabric coated with the terpolymer was less flammable than the uncoated one. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.