Synthesis of novel bifunctional polyolefins and their application as hydrophobic agents for cotton fabrics

Surface functionalization of cotton fabric was carried out using novel bifunctional polyolefins containing various pendant groups. The hydrophobization of the aforementioned natural material was successfully achieved and the durability of the coatings was proven by SEM-EDS and FT-IR techniques. Water contact angle (WCA) mea-surements revealed the effect of the functional group type on the properties of the treated surface. The presence of fluoroaryl groups in the polymer chain ensured the highest WCA value. The effect of the type of side groups (aryl vs alkyl, fluorinated vs halogen-free) in the polymer chain on the surface properties was also demonstrated. The modifiers applied did not affect the thermal stability of the treated cotton fabric compared to reference sample. Moreover, the flame-retardant properties of the polyolefin-coated cotton samples were also verified and discussed. This is the first report describing the application of organofunctionalized bifunctional polyolefins as surface modifiers for cotton fabrics.