Fabrication of Hydrophobic and Antibacterial Coatings on Cotton Fabric Surface

Bacterial adhesion to material surfaces can lead to biofilm formation, posing risks of pathogen infections and reducing the service life of materials. Consequently, developing cotton fabrics with resistance to bacterial adhesion holds significant promise for enhancing hygiene and durability. In this study, a kind of cotton fabric with hydrophobic and antibacterial adhesion properties was designed in order to inhibit biofilm growth. A multifunctional coating was applied directly to the cotton fabric surface using the pad-dry-cure technique, and the fabric was subsequently chlorinated to confer antibacterial characteristics. Hcotton-Cl exhibited a water contact angle of 146° in hydrophobic experiments and demonstrated effective resistance against dye and soil contamination in self-cleaning tests. According to the GB/T 20944.3-2008 test method, Hcotton-Cl exhibited potent antibacterial activity, capable of inactivating 1 × 10⁶ CFU·mL -1 of bacteria within 10   minutes. Moreover, the fabric showed robust anti-adhesion properties, significantly reducing the likelihood of bacterial colonization. Anti-biofilm assays further confirmed that Hcotton-Cl markedly diminished biofilm formation, even after enduring 50 washing cycles.