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Anatase TiO 2 /SiO 2 nanocomposites were prepared by a sol-gel process at a low temperature. The structural properties of these as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), showing that TiO 2 nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of SiO 2 spheres. The spherical TiO 2 /SiO 2 nanocomposites were coated onto cotton fabrics by a simple dip-pad-dry-cure process. The treated cotton fabrics demonstrated higher photocatalytic activity in comparison to pure TiO 2 treated cotton fabrics in a typical photocatalytic test using a model compound of Neolan Blue 2G dye. Our results demonstrate that this composite material is a step towards better self-cleaning performance of textile materials.

Inspired by the non-wetting phenomena of duck feathers, the water repellent property of duck feathers was studied at the nanoscale. The microstructures of the duck feather were investigated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging method through a step-by-step magnifying procedure. The SEM results show that duck feathers have a multi-scale structure and that this multi-scale structure as well as the preening oil are responsible for their super hydrophobic behavior. The microstructures of the duck feather were simulated on textile substrates using the biopolymer chitosan as building blocks through a novel surface solution precipitation (SSP) method, and then the textile substrates were further modified with a silicone compound to achieve low surface energy. The resultant textiles exhibit super water repellent properties, thus providing a simple bionic way to create super hydrophobic surfaces on soft substrates using flexible material as building blocks.

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Inspired by the self-cleaning behaviour of lotus leaves in nature, we developed a simple coating method that can facilitate the bionic creation of super-hydrophobic surfaces on various substrates, thus providing a feasible way of fabricating super-hydrophobic surfaces for civil and industrial applications. Micro–nanoscale binary structured composite particles of silica/fluoropolymer were prepared using an emulsion-mediated sol–gel process, and then these composite particles were applied to various substrates to mimic the surface microstructures of lotus leaves. Super-hydrophobic surfaces with a water contact angle larger than 150° are obtained, and these super-hydrophobic surfaces are expected to have potential applications for rusting-resistant, anti-fog and self-cleaning treatments.