Functionalized nanofibrous coating on cotton fabrics

Abstract

A nanofibrous polyurethane coating was achieved by direct electrospinning of nanofibers onto the surface of padded fabrics followed by functionalisation with a water/oil repellent. As a comparison, a conventional knife method was also applied to coat the polyurethane onto the padded cotton fabrics. The obtained coated fabrics were examined by SEM, FTIR, and for thickness, water contact angle and air permeability. It was found that an interconnected nanofibrous structure has formed over the surface cotton fibers due to the binder’s effect. The nanofibrous coating on the surface of cotton fabrics brings in enhanced hydrophobicity with better permeability than the knife coated bulky membrane. The generation of a nanofibrous surface on textiles provides a platform for tailoring the surface with multiple functions towards next generation performance textiles.