Cotton fabrics were modified by xerogel coatings with dispersed particles of graphene (Gr) or reduced graphene oxide (RGO). To obtain a stable dispersion of Gr or RGO in organo-silicon sol, sodium lauryl sulfate as an anionic surfactant was used. The fabrics were padded with the organo-silicon sol containing dispersed Gr or RGO, forming a thin xerogel coating after drying. The fabrics coated with the xerogel containing 0.5–1.5 wt% of RGO or Gr were prepared and examined. The best anti-static properties were obtained for the coating with 1.5 wt% of Gr, whose surface resistance and volume resistance were on the order of 10⁵ and 10³ Ω, respectively. Such properties make the fabric suitable for protective cloths in the environment with explosive atmosphere.

This article presents the findings concerning the preparation and properties of cotton woven fabrics with a conductive network made of multiwall carbon nanotubes deposited on the fiber surface by the padding method. The next stage of treatment consisted of imparting superhydrophobic properties to the fabrics in solution with methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) in a waterless medium. The tests performed show that the state of surface and water content in cotton fibers exerts a significant influence on the hydrophobic properties of the analyzed samples. In order to explain the differences in hydrophobic properties, the morphology of the cotton fabric surface was examined using samples with various water contents. The formation mechanism of MTCS coatings on cotton fabric has been proposed.