Preparation of hydrophobic and conductive cotton fabrics using multi-wall carbon nanotubes by the sol–gel method

In this paper, a simple method is presented for making a conductive and hydrophobic cotton fabric using a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). The method is known as ‘the sol–gel method’. The conditions for the sol–gel process such as the solution pH, silane agent concentration, polymerization time, amount of MWCNT, and its fixation procedure were optimized. The hydrophobic properties of the modified fabric were characterized in terms of water contact angle (WCA) and water droplets penetration time. The surface morphology of the treated samples was evaluated using a scanning electron microscope. The surface resistivity of the prepared fabric was measured according to the 76-1995 AATCC test method. The abrasion and washing fastness of the fabric were also studied. In optimum conditions, the prepared cotton fabric proved to have such features as WCA = 146° and surface resistance = 40 kΩ cm⁻².