pH-Responsive polyaniline chromic textile with supper-hydrophobicity and washability

Polyaniline-coated conducting polyester and cotton cospinning textile (PANI/CPCCT) was prepared via an in-situ polymerization in the presence of sodium p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzene sulfonate (OBS) as the dopant, FeCl₃ as the oxidant and the polyester and cotton cospinning textile (PCCT) with lots of micro/nano-sized gaps on the surface as the substrate. The effect of pH value on the PANI/CPCCT was investigated. It is found that the prepared PANI/CPCCT presents super-hydrophobic function with the biggest water conduct angle of 162?, it also takes on good conductivity and hydrophobicity in alkaline condition. The color and wettability of the PANI/CPCCT present pH-responsive function: its color can reversibly change from dark green to blue green, dark blue, and brown in turn when the pH increases from 1 to 14, and its wettability is reversibly varied from super-hydrophobic to super-hydrophilic induced by a doping and de-doping process of PANI as well. The washing test shows that PANI/CPCCT has a good washability, and its property can be recovered again by being dipped in strong acid solution. All of these superior properties make that the as-prepared PANI/CPCCT can obtain practical utility in acid-controlled wettability switching, self-cleaning textile, acidity detection and other applications.