Double coating via repeat admicellar polymerization for preparation of bifunctional cotton fabric: Ultraviolet protection and water repellence

Bifunctional cotton fabric was produced by double coating via repeat admicellar polymerization using dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, sodium salt (DBSA), as the surfactant. 2-Hydroxy-4-acryloyloxybenzophenone (HAB) was first coated on a cotton fabric in order to improve its ultraviolet protection and then methacryloxymethyltrimethylsilane (MSi) was coated to create a water-repellent surface. Adsorption of DBSA on the HAB-coated substrate was found to be less than on the untreated surface. The polymeric coating on the surface was characterized by SEM and FTIR and it was found that the double coating process was successfully carried out. The treated fabric was found to have very good ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) together with high water repellency as determined by the contact angle measurement. The optimum amount of monomers was found to be 1.5 mM HAB and 5 mM MSi.