One-pot and single-component fabrication of multifunctional cotton fabrics with antibacterial and hydrophobic properties using a block copolymer

Multifunctional cotton fabrics have attracted considerable attention due to their versatility and adaptability in various areas of everyday life. Nevertheless, the one-pot fabrication of multifunctional textiles using only a single reagent remains extremely challenging. This approach streamlines the conventional multi-functionalization process and forges novel trajectories for the development of high-performance textile materials enabled by a solitary reagent. Herein, we propose a straightforward approach that uses an innovative block copolymer as the finishing reagent to provide simultaneously both antibacterial and hydrophobic properties to cotton fabrics. The block copolymer was synthesized via a RAFT polymerization of methacrylate (MMA) and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMA) followed by a quaternization using bromohexadecane. Afterward, the block copolymer underwent self-assembly, resulting in the formation of an aqueous emulsion, which was then applied onto cotton fiber surfaces using an immersion heating process. Characterized by an abundance of particles with a 195-nm average size, the surface morphology of the resulting coating on the fibers imparted highly enduring and effective antibacterial, self-cleaning, and antifouling functionalities to the cotton fabrics. Furthermore, to elucidate the excellent antibacterial effect, an innovative contact-responsive mechanism involving the dynamic action of the copolymer was proposed. With its exceptional versatility and efficiency, this one-pot approach shows great promise for a wide range of industrial applications.