Construction of ultraviolet protection, thermal insulation, superhydrophobic and aromatic textile with Al-doped ZnO–embedded lemon microcapsule coatings

Multifunctional textiles combining ultraviolet protection, thermal insulation and superhydrophobic and aromatic performance were successfully prepared using an aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO)-embedded lemon microcapsule and SiO2 dual-layer coating. AZO-loaded lemon microcapsules with average diameter of 1.5 µm were obtained via interfacial polymerization. Results showed that the high concentration of the AZO-embedded lemon microcapsule contributed to enhancing the waterproof property, aromatic performance, and visible and near-infrared light transmittance. The lemon content was up to 2.789 mg/g (weight of essence:weight of fabric). The water contact angle was high at 153.35°, exhibiting an outstanding superhydrophobic performance. The light transmittance decreased as the amount of AZO-embedded lemon microcapsule increased. The ultraviolet protection factor value reached 88.78 when the dosage of the AZO-embedded lemon microcapsule was 6%. Given the above research results, the cotton fabric coated with the AZO-embedded lemon microcapsule and SiO2 dual-layer composite coating would have potential applications in the water/oil purification field and functional protective fabrics.