Enhancement UV-resistance and hydrophobic of cotton fabrics through membrane formation by cationic colored nanospheres

In order to satisfy the demand for more textile taking properties, UV resistance and hydrophobic functionalization have become the focus of research in the field of textile modification. We herein report a simple method to prepare hydrophobic and UV-resistant multifunctional colored cotton fabrics by the self-curing technique of cationic polyethyleneimine dye polymer (CPNP(R218)) nanospheres. First, cationic CPNP(R218) nanospheres with homogeneous particle size and good dispersion stability were synthesized, which can be directly introduced to the eco-friendly cotton fiber dyeing. Polymer membranes on the surface of cotton were formulated through self-curing of the CPNP(R218) nanospheres during the dyeing process, and its surface morphology and elements were characterized. The cotton fabric dyed CPNP(R218) nanospheres have good color properties along with good hydrophobicity, showing a static water contact angle (WCA) of 138.4°. In addition, the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) value of the dyed cotton was 3.5 times higher than the original cotton fabric, due to the polymer film blocking the penetration of UV radiation. Therefore, the method of self-curing film formation by dye polymer nanospheres has great significance for the construction of multifunctional colored cotton fabrics.