Stable and Durable Superhydrophobic Cotton Fabrics Prepared via a Simple 1,4-Conjugate Addition Reaction for Ultrahigh Efficient Oil-Water Separation.

Superhydrophobic materials used for oil-water separation have received wide attention. However, the simple and low-cost strategy for making durable superhydrophobic materials remains a major challenge. Here, we report that stable and durable superhydrophobic cotton fabrics can be prepared using a simple two-step impregnation process. Silica nanoparticles are surface modified by hydrolysis condensation of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). The amino group of APTMS and the acrylic group of the crosslinking agent pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA) undergo 1,4-conjugate addition reaction to fix the silica nanoparticles, and the acrylic group of the crosslinking agent PETA undergo 1,4-conjugate addition reaction with the amino group of octadecylamine (ODA), finally forming a covalent cross-linked rough network structure. The long hydrophobic chain of ODA makes the cotton fabric exhibit excellent superhydrophobic properties, and the water contact angle (WCA) of the fabric surface reaches 158°. The modified cotton fabric has good physical and chemical stability, self-cleaning and anti-fouling. At the same time, the modified fabric shows excellent oil/water separation efficiency (98.16% after 20 cycles) and ultrahigh separation flux (15413.63 L m -2 h -1 ) due to its superhydrophobicity, superoleophilicity and inherent porous structure. The method provides a broad prospect in the future diversification applications of oil/water separation and oil spill cleaning. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.