Highly monodisperse polysilsesquioxane spheres: synthesis and application in cotton fabrics

Highly monodisperse methyl-functionalized, vinyl-functionalized, and thiol-functionalized polysilsesquioxane spheres (MPSQ, VPSQ, and MPPSQ spheres) have been successfully prepared through a one-pot emulsion approach with one organosilane as sole precursor in aqueous medium. The morphology, size distribution, and chemical structure were characterized by SEM, DLS, FT-IR, solid NMR, XRD, etc. The thermodecomposition and hydrophobicity of these spheres were investigated with TGA and water contact angle measurement. Our research turns out that the organofunctional groups play a key role in thermostability and hydrophobicity of polysilsesquioxane spheres, MPSQ, and VPSQ spheres possess better thermostability than MPPSQ spheres, the order of hydrophobicity is as follows: MPSQ>VPSQ>MPPSQ. Cotton fabrics can become superhydrophobic when treated with methyl- or vinyl-functional silica spheres.