Effects of a multi-step sol-gel process of inorganic silica coatings on cotton fabrics

In this work the sol-gel synthesis of silica thin films and a novel multistep process consisting of 1-6 consecutive depositions of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) onto cotton fabric are presented: samples with a different number of silica layers, with the last one alternately consisting of DBTA (Dibutyltindiacetate) catalyst, were obtained. The interaction of sol–gel derived silica coatings and the textiles fabrics were studied by changing two process variables: the TEOS concentration and the presence or absence of the catalyst.