Facile fabrication of durable and breathable superhydrophobic cotton fabric for self-cleaning, UV-blocking, anti-icing, and photothermal de-icing

Numerous techniques for achieving superhydrophobic modification of cotton fabrics are documented in existing literature. However, pursuing multifunctionality, especially concerning textile performance, remains a topic of significant research interest. This study introduced a straightforward yet highly effective method for producing modified cotton fabric (SFC) exhibiting a vibrant orange-yellow coloration, along with exceptional self-cleaning, stain-resistant, UV-blocking, anti-icing, and photothermal de-icing properties, through the utilization of ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The surface of the SFC was evenly coated with small nanoparticles, identified by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) as β-FeOOH. The SFC displayed a water contact angle of 165.9° and a sliding angle of 2°, demonstrating outstanding superhydrophobicity. In addition, the SFC achieved a UPF value of 80, indicating exceptional UV-blocking capabilities. Additionally, the SFC exhibited remarkable stability when subjected to harsh conditions, including exposure to strong acid (pH = 1) and alkali (pH = 13), various chemical reagents, 600 min of water washing, and 30 cycles of abrasion testing. The approach proposed in this study offers the advantages of cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and fluorine-free characteristics, and is applicable across a range of fabrics, and has certain practical utility. Graphical abstract