Facile preparation of cotton fabric with superhydrophilicity–oleophobicity in air and superoleophobicity under water by using branched polyethyleneimine/perfluorooctanoic acid composites. (4th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yuechuan; Xiao, Yao; Fu, Xiaowei; Jiang, Liang; Yuan, Anqian; Xu, Hualiang; Wei, Zhengkai; Lei, Yuan; Lei, Jingxin
• Is Part Of: New journal of chemistry. Volume 45:Number 34(2021)
• Page Start: 15321
• Page End: 15327
• Publication Date: 2021-08-04
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chimie -- Périodiques; 540
• DOI: 10.1039/d1nj01460a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1144-0546

Abstract

Abstract : Preparation of cotton fabric with superhydrophilicity-oleophobicity in the air and superoleophobicity under water by using branched polyethyleneimine/perfluorooctanoic acid composites and its application in gravity-controlled oil-water separation. Abstract : It is extremely challenging to endow cotton fabric with superoleophobicity and superhydrophilicity at the same time as traditional oleophobic surfaces are generally hydrophobic as well. In this study, we report a facile method to fabricate cotton fabric exhibiting superhydrophilicity–oleophobicity in air and superoleophobicity under water by using branched polyethyleneimine/perfluorooctanoic acid composites. The surface morphology, elementary composition, and wettability were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and contact angle measurement, respectively. The results suggested that the modified cotton fabric retained its superhydrophilicity similar to the original cotton fabric; the water droplet can penetrate and diffuse within 1.86 seconds, but the oil resistance in the air is greatly improved, and the contact angles of rapeseed oil, hexadecane, and 1, 4-dibromobutane are 128°, 123°, and 117°, respectively. In addition, the underwater superoleophobicity is also realized, as evidenced by its underwater contact angles of rapeseed oil, hexadecane, and 1, 4-dibromobutane reaching 158°, 153°, and 152°, respectively. As a result, this developed cotton fabric can exhibit oil resistance during everyday use and achieve self-cleaning of oil stains under water. In addition, it can also be used for gravity-controlled oil–water separation and the oil/water separation efficiency can reach 96.5%. This research provides new ideas and inspiration for the preparation of superhydrophilic–superoleophobic materials.