Cotton
fabric is covalently functionalized with a porous β-cyclodextrin
polymer by including the fabric in the polymerization mixture. The
resulting functionalized fabric (CD-TFP@cotton) sequesters organic
micropollutants, such as bisphenol A, from water with outstanding
speed and a capacity 10-fold higher than that of untreated cotton.
The functionalized fabric also readily captures volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) from the vapor phase more quickly and with a capacity higher
than that of untreated cotton as well as three commercially available
fabric-based adsorbents. Volatile adsorbed pollutants were fully extracted
from CD-TFP@cotton under reduced pressure at room temperature, permitting
simple reuse. These properties make cotton functionalized with the
cyclodextrin polymer of interest for water purification membranes,
odor controlling fabrics, and respirators that control exposure to
VOCs. This functionalization approach is scalable, likely to be amenable
to other fibrous substrates, and compatible with existing fiber manufacturing
techniques.
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