A “grafting through” strategy for constructing Janus cotton fabric by mist polymerization

A fabric with different functions on its two sides has unparalleled advantages for practical use. However, it is difficult to graft different functional polymers onto the two sides of cotton fabric by conventional modification methods. Herein, we report a novel approach based on a combination of “grafting through” methodology and the mist polymerization technique to achieve this objective. Acrylic acid (AA) was first linked onto cotton fibers via an esterification reaction. The incorporated AA moieties on the fiber surfaces were further copolymerized with other monomers using the mist polymerization technique to graft different functional coatings. Poly(methacryloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride) was grafted on one side of the cotton fabric, and the opposite surface was modified by the polymerization of AA followed by the esterification of polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG-400). As a result, two functional coatings were constructed on the two sides of the fabric, i.e., antibacterial and antifouling coatings. Skin stimulation tests and toxicity assessments demonstrated that the resulting fabric is safe for skin contact. Moreover, the desired cotton properties were not significantly reduced by the new surface modification process.