Superhydrophilic Wrinkle-Free Cotton Fabrics via Plasma and Nanofluid Treatment

We demonstrate in this study a wrinkle-free, superhydrophilic cotton fabric (contact angle ∼0°) by uniformly attaching specially engineered nanoparticles to plasma-pretreated cotton fabric. Because of their highly charged nature, the nanoparticles are firmly anchored on the fabric via electrostatic interactions, as confirmed by microscopy and chemical analyses. The durability of wetting behavior and wrinkle-free property of the nanoparticle-coated fabrics were evaluated via aging, laundering, and abrasion tests. The strongly attached coatings are stable enough to maintain their superhydrophilic nature even after 60 days of aging at room temperature, 50 laundering cycles, and 25 000 abrasion cycles. Moreover, the nanoparticle-coated superhydrophilic fabrics exhibit great wrinkle-recovery property, tensile strength, and abrasion resistance performance up to 25 000 abrasion cycles

Testing the magnetic stability of magnetite-waste tea composite after 8 days in water.

<p>Testing the magnetic stability of magnetite-waste tea composite after 8 days in water.</p

SEM images of waste tea powder (A) without and (B) with magnetite coating.

<p>SEM images of waste tea powder (A) without and (B) with magnetite coating.</p

Percentage of Pb adsorbed onto the four sorbents for each of the four different waters: (A) deionized water, (B) rainwater, (C) groundwater and (D) freshwater.

<p>Percentage of Pb adsorbed onto the four sorbents for each of the four different waters: (A) deionized water, (B) rainwater, (C) groundwater and (D) freshwater.</p

Amount of Fe leached out into the four waters from uncoated tea (A) and magnetite-waste tea composite (B).

<p>Amount of Fe leached out into the four waters from uncoated tea (A) and magnetite-waste tea composite (B).</p

Concentrations of main electrolytes and dissolved organic content in the artificial waters used in the experiments.

<p>Concentrations of main electrolytes and dissolved organic content in the artificial waters used in the experiments.</p

Key parameters of the tea powders (unmagnetized tea and magnetite-waste tea composite) measured using the nitrogen physisorption isotherms.

<p>Key parameters of the tea powders (unmagnetized tea and magnetite-waste tea composite) measured using the nitrogen physisorption isotherms.</p

TGA analyses of the uncoated and magnetite-waste tea composite showing that the magnetite coating accounts for about 22% of the total mass of the composite.

<p>TGA analyses of the uncoated and magnetite-waste tea composite showing that the magnetite coating accounts for about 22% of the total mass of the composite.</p