Multifunctional surface modification of an aramid fabric via direct fluorination

This study investigated the potential of direct fluorination as a multifunctional surface modification method for an aramid fabric. The aramid fabric was fluorinated at temperatures of 30, 90, and 150 degrees C. As the fluorination temperature increased, the fluorinated aramid fabric became more hydrophobic and oleophobic, with a water contact angle of 129.3 degrees and a diiodomethane contact angle of 108.6 degrees when the fluorination temperature was 150 degrees C. Thus, the fluorinated fabric could be defined as an omniphobic surface. Both the phenol resin wettability and the impregnation of the fluorinated aramid fabric improved as the fluorination temperature increased, suggesting better interfacial adhesion between the fabric and the polymer matrix. Direct fluorination of an aramid fabric can be an efficient multifunctional surface modification method to achieve omniphobicity in the aramid fabric for the protection, self-cleaning, and improved interfacial adhesion between the fabric and resin for fiber-reinforced polymer composites. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.