Human Skin-Like, Robust Waterproof, and Highly Breathable Fibrous Membranes with Short Perfluorobutyl Chains for Eco-Friendly Protective Textiles

Flexible smart membranes with superior waterproofness and extreme breathability are highly desirable for wearable uses. However, present waterproof and breathable materials suffer from limited performance efficiency, alarming environmental risks, and complicated fabrication procedures. We report on eco-friendly fibrous membranes with human skin-like, robust waterproof, and highly breathable capabilities that can be prepared via a facile electrospinning strategy. A novel polyurethane elastomer (C4FPU) possessing double-terminal short perfluorobutyl (−C4F9) chain is synthesized for the first time and incorporated into the polyurethane (PU) fiber matrix, endowing the membrane with mighty and durable hydrophobicity. Additionally, the employment of AgNO3 greatly decreased the maximum pore size (dmax), contributing to the dramatically enhanced waterproofness. The resulting PU/C4FPU/AgNO3 fibrous membranes exhibit comprehensive properties of exceptional hydrostatic pressure (102.8 kPa), excellent water vapor transmission rate (12.9 kg m–2 d–1), high mechanical property (9.8 MPa), and significant antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The successful synthesis of these intriguing membranes may provide a promising candidate for the new generation of key building blocks of the upscale protective garments.