Development of a Superhydrophobic, Self-Cleaning Aramid Fabric Integrating Photocatalytic and Flame-Retardant Functions

Aramid fabrics are extensively used in protective equipment due to their high strength and heat resistance. However, their performance is constrained by insufficient self-cleaning ability, susceptibility to moisture absorption, and reduced flame-retardant efficiency in polluted and humid complex service environments. To address these challenges, this study develops a multifunctional aramid fabric with superhydrophobic, photocatalytic, and flame-retardant properties. An S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst of TiO2/g-C3N4 was prepared to enhance visible-light catalytic activity. In addition, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and phosphorylated chitosan (PCS) were introduced to provide superhydrophobicity and flame retardancy, respectively. The prepared fabric (PCS-APTC2) exhibited superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 153.74° and a sliding angle of 6.9°, demonstrating excellent self-cleaning performance. And the prepared fabric demonstrated a 58% degradation of phenanthrene (Phe) within a 6 h exposure to simulated sunlight, exhibiting a significantly higher char residue (72.63%) and limiting oxygen index. Furthermore, the prepared fabric demonstrated notable resilience, retaining mechanical strength, washing durability, and UV resistance. This work presents a high-performance multifunctional fabric with potential applications in firefighting and industrial protection.