Cellulose Nanocrystals Mimicking Micron-Sized Fibers to Assess the Deposition of Latex Particles on Cotton

We report the interactions of cationic latex particles synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer/macromolecular design by the interchange of xanthates-mediated emulsion polymerization with anionic cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cotton fabrics. Latexes in the size range of 200–300 nm with poly­(butyl acrylate) or poly­(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) hydrophobic cores and a hydrophilic shell are synthesized. We show that the latex/CNC interaction is mediated by electrostatics, the interaction being the strongest with the most charged particles. The adsorption process is efficient and does not require any functionalization step for either cellulose or latex. A major result is the observation by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy of latexes coated with entangled arrays of CNCs, and for the softer particles, a notable deformation of their structure into faceted polyhedra. By labeling the latexes with hydrophobic carbocyanine dyes, their deposition on woven cotton fabrics is studied in situ and quantified by fluorescence microscopy. As with the CNCs, the highest deposition on cotton in the wet and dried states is achieved with the most charged latexes. This demonstrates that CNCs can serve as models to adjust the interactions of latex particles with cotton and thus optimize manufacturing processes for the development of advanced textiles.