Technology of self-cleaning fabric.

1. SELF CLEANING FABRIC
Md. Fuad Ahmed
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Self cleaning textile means the textile surface which can be cleaned
itself without using any laundering action. Now a days peoples are
very busy in their work that they do not have time for clean their
daily wear cloths. Also military peoples have to survive in such
drastic condition that they cannot wash their cloths.
The idea of self cleaning textile takes a great evolution in the
history of textile technology.

3. Water and soil repellency has been one of the major targets for fiber and
textile manufacturers for many days. Combinations of new materials for
fiber production with a variety of surface treatments have been
developed to reach the condition of limited wettability.
In nature an elegant approach found that combines chemistry and
physics to create super repellant surfaces as well as self-cleaning
surfaces. Lotus leaves is the best example of self-cleaning surfaces. The
concept of self-cleaning textiles is based on the lotus plant whose leaves
are well-known for their ability to self-clean by repelling water and dirt.
More recently, botany and nanotechnology have united to explore not
only the beauty and cleanliness of the leaf, but also its lack of
contamination and bacteria, despite its dwelling in dirty ponds.
Basically, the lotus leaf has two levels of structure affecting this
behavior micro-scale bumps and nano-scale hair-like structures coupled
with the leafs waxy chemical composition. On the basis of lotus leaf
concept scientist developed a new concept self-cleaning textile that the
textile surface which can be cleaned itself without using any laundering
action.
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In 2017, Viet Ha Tran Thi, Byeong-Kyu Lee work on the
development of multifunctional self-cleaning and UV blocking
cotton fabric with modification of photoactive ZnO coating by
using microwave method [1].
ZnO was used here as the coating material to protect UV and to
give the self-cleaning properties of the fabric. The self-cleaning
ability of the fabric was checked according to the removal degree
of coffee stain under UD irradiation at different humidities. In the
testing procedure it is found that it takes more than 15 hrs to
remove the coffee stain and the best removal effect was found at
90% humidity.
Literature Review

5. Literature Review
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In 2018, Anita Panda, Priya Varshney, Soumya S. Mohapatra and
Aditya Kumar work on development of liquid repellent coating
on cotton fabric by simple binary silanization with excellent
self-cleaning and oil-water separation properties [2].
Superhydrophobic surface shows a high water repellency and
superoleophobic surface shows a static contact angle more than
150° and sliding angle lower than 10° for organic liquids having
surface tension lower than the water. Trichloro(Octadecyl) silane
and triethoxy silane are used to develop the properties. For self-
cleaning test, the water was introduced at an angle of 45° on the
coated fabric surface at a rate of approximately 1.2m/s.

6. Self-cleaning property for both coated and uncoated cotton fabric
for water was examined, where surfaces were contaminated with
charcoal powder/dust particles. When the water droplets were
poured into the uncoated cotton surface contaminated with dust,
instead of carrying away the dust particles, water gets absorbed
in the surface because of its hydrophilic nature and leaving the
meshy surface. Whereas in case of coated cotton fabric surface,
the water roll off easily and carry away the dust particle leaving a
cleaned surface. This is mainly due to the low sliding angle of the
water on the coated surface and also low adhesion force between
the surface and the dust particles than the water and dust
particles.
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7. Literature Review
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In 2017, Mohamed Mohamady Ghobashy works on combined
ultrasonic and gamma-irradiation to prepare TiO₂ at PET and
PAAc fabric composite for self-cleaning application [3].
Grafting of Poly acrylic acid and TiO₂ with self-cleaning
properties were successfully deposited onto PET fabric surface
using gamma and ultrasonic techniques. To evaluate the self-
cleaning ability of TiO₂ at PET and PAAc under sunlight, three
pieces modified PET fabrics were soaked in three types of dyes
for 48 hrs.

8. After that the three dye stained samples are removed and
placed over the white substrate and then exposing it to sunlight
irradiation. The test was carried out in conditions for the winter
season, the ambient temperature between 12° and 20° C and
the average of humidity was 50%. The XRD and FTIR-ATR
are performed to evaluate the stability of TiO₂ at PET and
PAAc after 5 hours self-cleaning. It was found that no change
in the crystal structure of TiO₂ at PET and PAAc.
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9. Method of Self-cleaning Fabric
Nature has already developed an elegant approach that
combines chemistry and physics to create super repellant
surfaces as well as self cleaning surfaces. Lotus leaves is the
best example of self cleaning surfaces. The concept of self
cleaning textiles is based on the lotus plant whose leaves are
well-known for their ability to self-clean by repelling water
and dirt.
Method involves in self-cleaning fabric manufacturing are:
By using fluorocarbons
By applying nanotechnology
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10. By application of fluorocarbons
If the critical surface tension of solid is more than the surface tension of
liquid, then liquid will wet the solid. So if the critical surface tension of
solid is reduced than that of liquid, the water repellency can be achieved
and this effect can be imparted on fabric by using fluorocarbons, which
are the carbon compounds containing per-fluoronated carbon chain. They
form thin film around the fibre and as they possess a very low surface
tension of around 10 dyne/cm, the drop does not adhere to the surface of
fibres.
Limitation of application of fluorocarbons:
• Good durability cannot be obtained for cotton.
• Fluorine compounds may cause skin related problems.
• Effect will reduce after few washes.
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11. Process Involved in Nanotechnology
To overcome the limitations of application of fluorocarbons in developing self-
cleaning textiles new methods have been developed using nanotechnology.
Nano technology provides a new concept self-cleaning textiles which gives
self-cleaning as well as fresh cloths every day, this not only technically
benefited but techno economically also benefited.
The manufacturing of self-cleaning textiles using nanotechnology:-
• Using Photo catalyst
• Using microwaves
• Using carbon nanotubes
• Using Metal oxide colloidal
• Using silver nanoparticles
• Using chlorine halamine
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12. Areas of Application of Self-cleaning Fabric
Hospital garments
Sports wears
Military uniform
Upholstery
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13. Limitation of Self-cleaning Fabric
Sun-light is must and high sun light energy require to
activate the self cleaning process.
Takes high time.
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14. Advantages of Self-cleaning Fabric
Ease of maintenance and environmental protection because
of reduced cleaning efforts.
Time, material, energy reduction and consequently cost-
efficiency during production.
Makes textiles longer-lasting.
People need not to suffer from heavy laundry bills.
Improved ageing behavior by extended surface purity effect.
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15. References
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[1] Thi, V. H. T., & Lee, B. K. (2017). Development of multifunctional self-cleaning and UV blocking cotton
fabric with modification of photoactive ZnO coating via microwave method. Journal of
Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 338, 13-22.
[2] Panda, A., Varshney, P., Mohapatra, S. S., & Kumar, A. (2018). Development of liquid repellent coating
on cotton fabric by simple binary silanization with excellent self-cleaning and oil-water separation
properties. Carbohydrate polymers, 181, 1052-1060.
[3] Ghobashy, M. M. (2017). Combined ultrasonic and gamma-irradiation to prepare TiO2@ PET-g-PAAc
fabric composite for self-cleaning application. Ultrasonics sonochemistry, 37, 529-535.

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