Fabrication of multifunctional smart polyester fabric via electrochemical deposition of ZnO nano-/microhierarchical structures

• Published in: JCT research 2022-07, Vol.19 (4), p.1243-1253
• Main Authors: Ekanayake, U. G. Mihiri, Dayananda, K. E. D. Y. Taniya, Rathuwadu, Nadeesha, Mantilaka, M. M. M. G. Prasanga G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon black; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computer architecture; Contact angle; Corrosion and Coatings; Electrodeposition; Fluorine; Hydrophobicity; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; Polymer Sciences; Room temperature; Self-assembly; Stearic acid; Surface properties; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Tribology; Ultraviolet radiation; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 1547-0091; 1935-3804; 2168-8028
• DOI: 10.1007/s11998-021-00606-6

Advanced multifunctional surfaces are widely used due to their unique surface properties and widespread applications. Developing a multifunctional fabric with a low cost, fluorine-free, and easily controllable method is a great challenge. This paper reports a multifunctional fabric with conductive, UV blocking, superhydrophobic and photosensing properties via an electrodeposition method. ZnO nano-/microarchitectures have been electrodeposited on polyester fabric with a carbon black screen-printed conductive layer. The deposition was carried out in various operating parameters. The optimized conditions for the ZnO electrodeposition are at − 1.0 V for 30 min deposition time in 5 mM Zn(NO 3 ) 2 in 0.1 M KNO 3 at room temperature. The developed fabric showed 100% UV radiation blocking and a water contact angle (WCA) of 156° after self-assembly of stearic acid on the ZnO layer. The modified fabric showed fast photoresponse as a photosensor, which indicates that this can be used as flexible wearable photosensors in practical applications.