An approach for preparing multifunctional cellulose fabrics with hydrophilic-hydrophobic flexible modulation, salt-free dyeing and antibacterial performance.

A straightforward and effective approach was introduced for creating a multifunctional cellulose fabric in this paper. The epoxy groups in epoxidized soybean oil participated in ring-opening reactions with hydroxyl groups present in cellulose fibers and amino groups found in polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride, respectively, under alkaline conditions. Polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride could introduce cationic groups, while epoxidized soybean oil could contribute hydrophobic alkane chains. The multifunctional cotton fabrics were prepared by the modifying agent system, which possessed antibacterial properties and exhibited salt-free dyeability. Furthermore, the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of these cellulose fabrics could be adjusted by varying the concentration of the modification solution. The modified cotton was characterized by techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The dyeing performance, hydrophobic characteristics, and antibacterial efficacy of the modified cotton fiber were assessed through a series of tests. When the modified cotton fabrics were dyed with reactive dyes without salt, the dye exhaustion rate and overall dye utilization rate achieved values of 92.14 % and 86.85 %, respectively. Additionally, the colorfastness and uniformity of dyed cotton fabrics were excellent. The hydrophobic cotton had a static water contact angle measuring 136.3°. Notably, the chemical modification method was simple and eco-friendly.