20.500.12556/RUL-189516 Sustainable, safe, and effective (super)hydrophobic coatings for cellulosic fiber material via alkyl ketene dimer and polysaccharide integration In light of increasing environmental and regulatory restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), silicones, and other persistent synthetic hydrophobic agents, we report the development of novel biodegradable, water-based hydrophobic coatings for cellulosic fiber materials based on alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) and naturally derived polysaccharides alginate, cellulose nanofibers, starch, and agar as matrices. Coatings on the cellulosic fiber material were applied through screen printing and cured at low temperatures. The prepared coatings transformed the initially (super)hydrophilic cellulosic fibers into a hydrophobic material, with static water contact angles ranging from 126° to 153°. Application of the coatings extended water drop absorption times from immediate uptake to as long as up to 5 h, exhibiting rolling-off behavior consistent with lotus-leaf-like hydrophobicity. SEM−EDX analysis revealed well-defined microstructuring and uniform elemental distribution, confirming complete coverage of the cellulosic fibers. FTIR spectroscopy and sequential organic solvent extraction provided evidence of covalent AKD−cellulose bonding, confirming successful chemical surface modification of the substrate. The coatings demonstrated excellent durability, maintaining hydrophobic performance even after 30 laundering cycles and exhibiting resistance to chemical and mechanical stress. A synergistic effect between AKD and polysaccharides was observed and explained: while AKD imparts intrinsic hydrophobicity, the polysaccharides act as functional stabilizers and physical barriers, improving coating uniformity, adhesion, and long-term performance. bio-based polymers biopolymers degradation environmental impact functional material properties safe and sustainable by design water-based hydrophobic coating cellulosic fiber material alkyl ketene dimer polysaccharides PFAS-free alternative hydrophobicity cellulose textiles carbohydrates coating materials bioosnovani polimeri biopolimeri razgradnja okoljski vplivi funkcionalne lastnosti materialov varnost trajnost true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-10-08 10:56:27 2026-10-08 10:56:29 2026-10-10 03:49:01 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Str. 4329–4346 iss. 9 Vol. 14 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 502/504:60 2168-0485 10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c08955 274223363 sustainable-safe-and-effective-(super)hydrophobic-coatings-for-cellulosic-fiber-material-via-alkyl-ketene-dimer-and.pdf sustainable-safe-and-effective-(super)hydrophobic-coatings-for-cellulosic-fiber-material-via-alkyl-ketene-dimer-and.pdf 1 73DC7748C8E005BAB8CA25895395EC9E f5b619d46db94db1904365520296f80b02a8dbd1300ed5243d8f44aab8a76cc5 0da84e63-c2f7-11f1-8bc5-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=250128 https://pubs.acs.org/ascecg/article/14/9/4329/5087061/Sustainable-Safe-and-Effective-Super-Hydrophobic 0 fb1ae89b-c2f6-11f1-8bc5-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=250127 Naravoslovnotehniška fakulteta 0 0 0