Super-oleophobic/hydrophobic Coatings for Non-stick, Self-Cleaning Textiles

The development of self-cleaning military uniforms, specifically ones that repel both water and oil based contaminants, can significantly reduce the U.S. military’s logistical and economic burden due to frequent laundering. TIAX proposes to develop a textile coating that can impart super-hydrophobicity and super-oleophobicity to various fabrics, allowing garments to repel both aqueous and organic soiling agents. To accomplish this, we will ensure that the omniphobic textile contains both a physical nanotexture as well as a chemical liquid repellency, both of which are crucial in developing textiles with stable non-wetting properties. In addition, our chemically-treated, nanotextured coating will have a robust adherence to the textile and not interfere with other important textile characteristics such as its permeability, tensile strength and abrasion resistance. By using a scalable process, we will create a manufacturable solution which can be economically integrated into numerous Army garments.