Superhydrophobic treatment for textiles via engineering nanotextured silica/polysiloxane hybrid material onto fibres

A rapid, cost effective and easy to implement method for treating wool and wool blend textiles to superhydrophobic with controllable interference on other properties such as handle is demonstrated. The process is based on in situ chemical binding of inexpensive silica and polysiloxane hybrid material onto fibres. Superhydrophobicity is achieved upon architecting nanoroughness on textile surfaces using silica nanoparticles. Modified textiles exhibit extremely high water repellency with contact angle reaching 166° and sliding angle ≤6°. Superhydrophobicity was maintained after three times of accelerated washing (equally 15 times of standard laundry wash). Topographical studies using AFM indicate that nanoscale roughness has been engineered on fibres with original size ∼22 μm. The rough structure at two length scales plays a key role in enhancing surface hydrophobicity. Simplicity of processing such coatings onto textiles makes it possible for potentially large scale production.