Luminescent and hydrophobic textile coatings with recyclability and self-healing capability against both chemical and physical damage

Abstract: Luminescent and hydrophobic textile coatings with recyclability and self-healing capability against both chemical and physical damage were prepared, which present multi-functions and long service life cycles. The applications in self-cleaning, oil-water separation, and anti-counterfeit technology were successfully demonstrated. The coatings can be easily created onto different fabrics including cotton cloth, filter paper, and chemical fabric. A rare earth organic complex of SmTTAPhen(NO₃)₃ (STPN), silane modified epoxy oligomer, and bis(4-maleimidophenyl)methane (BMI) provide luminescence, hydrophobicity, as well as recyclability and self-healing capability, respectively, to the coatings. More specifically, high transparency but high luminescence were achieved due to the good dispersion of STPN in coating matrix, resulting from the hydron bonding between nitrate groups from STPN and hydroxyl groups from epoxy oligomer. Silane modification facilitated the accumulation of Si–O bonds on the free-surface of the coating, which offers hydrophobic features. The introduction of reversible Diels-Alder reactions provided the self-healing capability and recyclability. Upon heating using an electronic iron, the hydrophobicity can be recovered from physical or chemical damage to the coatings. Besides, the coatings on abandoned fabrics can be recycled and reused to a new bare fabric. We believe that the concept and coating materials are useful to further expand the areas of smart and multi-functional coatings with long service life. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].