The preparation of cotton fabric with super‐hydrophobicity and antibacterial properties by the modification of the stearic acid

Abstract In this article, the superhydrophobic and antibacterial surface on the cotton fabric were fabricated with the UV curable waterborne coatings, the silver nanoparticles, and the stearic acid. The cotton fabric coated with silver stearate was obtained by immersing in a mixture of sodium hydroxide and then modified by stearic acid. Results showed that the water contact angle on the surface of the fabric was 157.6°. The micromorphology and chemical ingredients of the surface of the coating were studied by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and X photoelectric spectrometer. Results showed that the immersion resulted in a double decomposition reaction and with the modification of the stearic acid, the silver stearate was formed on the surface, which provided a rough surface required for super‐hydrophobicity. And the acid and alkali resistance test, water‐resistance test, and antibacterial activity test indicated that the coating had good acid and alkaline resistance, water‐resistance, and antibacterial properties.