Water repellent cotton fabrics prepared by PTFE RF sputtering

A poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) sputtering technique was employed to introduce water repellency onto the surfaces of commercial cotton fabrics. Sputtering power, time, and argon pressure were varied as processing parameters, when PTFE coatings were applied on the fabrics. Total 27 different samples were prepared to compare their water repellent properties, which were investigated by contact angle measurements. Morphology of the PTFE coatings were probed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Also, the extent of the coating was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Maximum hydrophobicity was obtained when PTFE coating was extensive enough to cover cotton fabrics almost completely, and the extensive coating was the roughest among the samples prepared in this study.