Fabrication and characterization of nanodiamond coated cotton fabric for improved functionality

Detonation nanodiamonds are gaining considerable research interest due to their superior hardness, excellent mechanical properties, large surface area and small size. Surface functionality of polymeric, fibrous materials and nanocomposites can be significantly improved by application of nanodiamonds. Although there has been some research on nanodiamonds in polymeric materials and composites available, research on fibrous materials, such as textiles, is limited. We investigated potential improvement in the properties of cotton materials after application of nanodiamonds. Nanodiamonds were applied to cotton fabric using a sustainable dip-coating laboratory technique, which was then characterized for improved functionality in such properties as strength, elongation, thermal stability and surface energy. It was observed that a surface coating of nanodiamonds enhanced the tensile strength of the cotton by 79%, without compromising the flexibility of the substrate significantly, due to the exceptional mechanical properties of the nanodiamond particles and strong  bonding between fibers and yarns within the fabric. High thermal conductivity of the nanodiamonds resulted in increased thermal stability and a higher degradation temperature in the coated substrate, when compared with the uncoated cotton fabric. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the coated cotton fabric displayed a coarser surface than the uncoated fabric. Coated fabric also absorbed more energy than uncoated fabric during repeated deformation in abrasion testing, due to presence of nanodiamond  which resulted in imporvement of abrasion resistance.