Water repellency improvement of cellulosic textile fibers by betulin and a betulin-based copolymer

Abstract

Betulin is a naturally abundant and hydrophobic compound in the outer bark of birch and can readily be obtained by solvent extraction. Here, solutions of betulin were used to treat cotton fabrics and improve their water repellency. Cotton fabric impregnated in a solution of betulin in ethanol showed a contact angle for water of approximately 153° and reached a water repellency score of 70 according to a standard water repellency test method. A betulin-terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) copolymer was synthesized. Both betulin and betulin-TPC copolymer were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The copolymer was characterized by size exclusion chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. When impregnated with a solution of betulin-TPC copolymer in tetrahydrofuran, a cotton fabric showed a water contact angle of 151° and also reached a water repellency score of 70. Films based on betulin and betulin-TPC copolymer were prepared and coated onto the surface of the fabrics by compression molding. These coated fabrics showed water contact angles of 123° and 104° respectively and each reached a water repellency score of 80.