River Branch Inspired Janus Textile with Moisture Wicking and UV Resistant Properties

Abstract Discontinuous hydrophobic/hydrophilic Janus fabric resembling river branches is prepared by nano-ZnO pretreatment and screen printing for directional water transport and thermal conductivity properties. A river branch-like structure is constructed dexterously, and the effect is quantitatively adjusted by accurately regulating the gap width of hexagon water-transfer-channel. Fabrics based on these rivers branch-like hexagon structure possess enhanced moisture wicking performance, a desired water transport index of 147.26%, which are over seven times higher than conventional cotton fabrics. Meanwhile, nano-ZnO treatment improves the thermal conductivity of cotton fabric, which accelerates the evaporation of sweat on the surface of cotton fabric. Moreover, nano-ZnO cotton fabric shows an outstanding UV resistant property with 145 UPF value. The novel discontinuous hydrophobic/hydrophilic Janus fabric could provide a new strategy for the development of moisture management textiles.