Investigating the feasibility of applying spin coating method for textiles

Abstract

Spin coating method is widely used to coat material surfaces with a thin coating in the electronic industry. However, the use of spin coating in textile surfaces is challenging due to high porosity and the hydrophilicity of textile materials. Here, the use of spin coating on textile surfaces was thoroughly investigated. This method is advantageous due to simplicity and relative ease of the process and ability to obtain thin and uniform coating. The experiments are carried using Titanium Dioxide as the coating material and the suitable fabric type is selected from Polyamide/Elastane and Cotton/ Polyester/ Elastane. The effect of an array of spin coating parameters such as rotational velocity, fiber type, concentration of solution and the binding agent was examined. Surface characterization, elemental analysis, air permeability and moisture management experiments were carried out to determine the coverage and effectiveness of the coating. It was found that the spin coating of Titanium Dioxide using Polyurethane as the binding agent onto Cotton/ Polyester/ Elastane blended, knitted fabric exhibits good adhesion and durability. Furthermore, it is recommended to use 3500 revolutions per minute with 0.5% concentration of TiO2 solution to achieve optimum coverage of the coating.