Fluorine- and Silicone-Free Polymer for Smart Textile via Controlled Radical Polymerization and Its Multifunctional...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Sustainable coatings are crucial for smart textiles, enhancing durability and reducing environmental impact.
• Developing functional coatings from renewable resources like castor oil is an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel, sustainable, superhydrophobic, and scratch-healable coatings for smart textiles.
• To utilize a castor oil-derived initiator for reversible complexation-mediated polymerization (RCMP).

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a three-arm initiator from castor oil (CO) for RCMP.
• Created star-shaped polymers (star-P(SMA-r-FMA)) using petroleum-derived and bio-renewable monomers.
• Crosslinked polymers via Diels-Alder reaction and applied to cotton cloth (CC).

Main Results:

• Achieved moderate to high monomer conversions (35%-93%) and low dispersity (1.15-1.49).
• Coated CC exhibited superhydrophobicity (water contact angle >150°, sliding angle 10°).
• Demonstrated thermo-responsive scratch-healing at 140°C, anti-staining, and stability under various conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed coating platform is sustainable, functional, and durable for smart textiles.
• Potential applications include oil-water separation, anti-counterfeiting, and functional apparel.
• This approach offers a promising route for eco-friendly smart textile development.