Poly(β-hydroxyether–naphthoxazine)/TiO₂ nanocomposite coatings for cotton fabrics with enhanced UV protection, hydrophobicity, and selective antibacterial activity
5 affiliations
- 1Chemistry Department, Faculty of Education & Science, Albaydha University
- 2Chemistry Department, School of Science, The University of Jordan
- 3Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan
- 4Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan
- 5Institute of Nanotechnology, Jordan University of Science and Technology
Abstract
Nanocomposite coatings have developed as promising surface-engineering materials for imparting multifunctional properties to textile fabrics, owing to the synergistic effects of their organic and inorganic components. In this study, a β-hydroxyether-naphthoxazine (βhE-NZ) oligomer was prepared by the catalyst-free oligomerization of a difunctional hydroxyl-functional naphthoxazine monomer (NZ-OH) with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), as confirmed by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Incorporation of 3 wt% TiO₂ nanoparticles yielded a nanocomposite with Td₅ and Td₁₀ values of 312 and 369 °C, respectively, and a char yield of approximately 60% at 800 °C, indicating good thermal stability and intrinsic flame-retardant character. Cotton fabrics were treated by dip-coating followed by thermal curing. XRD, SEM, EDX, and AFM analyses verified uniform coating deposition, successful TiO₂ dispersion, and increased nanoscale surface roughness. The cured poly(βhE-NZ)/TiO₂ coated cotton fabrics showed outstanding UV-protection factors (UPF 127 for UV-B/C and 118 at 350 nm) that remained in the excellent range after ten laundering cycles. The water contact angle increased from 81° for uncoated cotton to 128° after nanocomposite coating, confirming enhanced hydrophobicity attributed to the low-surface-energy polymer matrix and hierarchical surface topography. Mechanical testing showed that the nanocomposite coating raised tensile strength from ~ 13 MPa to 17.5–18 MPa while increasing elongation at break, confirming improved strength. Antibacterial assays revealed potent, selective activity against S. aureus (≈ 6-log reduction) with no measurable effect against E. coli. Overall, the poly(β-hydroxyether-naphthoxazine)/TiO₂ nanocomposite provides a versatile, wash-durable surface treatment that integrates high UV shielding, hydrophobicity, mechanical reinforcement, and selective antibacterial performance, offering strong potential for advanced protective textiles.
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BibTeX
@article{mahdy2026polyβhydroxyethernaphthoxazinetio₂,
title = {{Poly(β-hydroxyether–naphthoxazine)/TiO₂ nanocomposite coatings for cotton fabrics with enhanced UV protection, hydrophobicity, and selective antibacterial activity}},
author = {Abdulsalam Mahdy and Jalal A. Zahra and Randa N. Haddadin and Violet Kasabri and Ayat Bozeya},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-68726-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-68726-w},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Poly(β-hydroxyether–naphthoxazine)/TiO₂ nanocomposite coatings for cotton fabrics with enhanced UV protection, hydrophobicity, and selective antibacterial activity
AU - Abdulsalam Mahdy
AU - Jalal A. Zahra
AU - Randa N. Haddadin
AU - Violet Kasabri
AU - Ayat Bozeya
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-68726-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-68726-w
AB - Nanocomposite coatings have developed as promising surface-engineering materials for imparting multifunctional properties to textile fabrics, owing to the synergistic effects of their organic and inorganic components. In this study, a β-hydroxyether-naphthoxazine (βhE-NZ) oligomer was prepared by the catalyst-free oligomerization of a difunctional hydroxyl-functional naphthoxazine monomer (NZ-OH) with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), as confirmed by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Incorporation of 3 wt% TiO₂ nanoparticles yielded a nanocomposite with Td₅ and Td₁₀ values of 312 and 369 °C, respectively, and a char yield of approximately 60% at 800 °C, indicating good thermal stability and intrinsic flame-retardant character. Cotton fabrics were treated by dip-coating followed by thermal curing. XRD, SEM, EDX, and AFM analyses verified uniform coating deposition, successful TiO₂ dispersion, and increased nanoscale surface roughness. The cured poly(βhE-NZ)/TiO₂ coated cotton fabrics showed outstanding UV-protection factors (UPF 127 for UV-B/C and 118 at 350 nm) that remained in the excellent range after ten laundering cycles. The water contact angle increased from 81° for uncoated cotton to 128° after nanocomposite coating, confirming enhanced hydrophobicity attributed to the low-surface-energy polymer matrix and hierarchical surface topography. Mechanical testing showed that the nanocomposite coating raised tensile strength from ~ 13 MPa to 17.5–18 MPa while increasing elongation at break, confirming improved strength. Antibacterial assays revealed potent, selective activity against S. aureus (≈ 6-log reduction) with no measurable effect against E. coli. Overall, the poly(β-hydroxyether-naphthoxazine)/TiO₂ nanocomposite provides a versatile, wash-durable surface treatment that integrates high UV shielding, hydrophobicity, mechanical reinforcement, and selective antibacterial performance, offering strong potential for advanced protective textiles.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -