Robust fluorine-free colorful superhydrophobic PDMS/NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@cotton fabrics for improved ultraviolet resistance and efficient oil–water separation

Abstract Superhydrophobic cotton fabrics with improved ultraviolet resistance were prepared via in situ growing NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)(Ti-MOF) nanoparticles on cotton fibers and subsequently coating with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) under room temperature. The synergetic effect of Ti-MOFs nanoparticles and PDMS was critical and essential for obtaining a superhydrophobic coating with anti-UV property. The surface microstructure, chemical composition, and superhydrophobic property of the as-prepared fabrics were characterized by K/S value, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The as-prepared cotton fabrics not merely exhibited desirable superhydrophobic property with a water contact angle (WCA) of 154.7 ± 0.7° and a sliding angle of 3.6°, but also displayed the considerable UV resistance. The oil–water separation, stability of UV protection and superhydrophobicity were also investigated. The superhydrophobicity, anti-ultraviolet property, and K/S value of as-prepared PDMS/Ti-MOFs@cotton fabrics were stable after 300 cycles of abrasion and 5 cycles of washing. The facile synthesis technique provided a simple method for scalable construction of multifunctional fabrics. Graphic abstract