Achieving durable liquid repellency on polyethylene terephthalate fabrics through fluorine-reduced electron beam-induced graft polymerization of 2-(perfluorohexyl)ethyl acrylate and stearyl acrylate

Fluorinated coatings impart excellent liquid repellency but often lack durability against washing and abrasion, and growing concerns regarding PFAS have intensified the need for fluorine‑reduced alternatives. This study presents a sustainable strategy for modifying polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics through electron beam (EB)-induced graft polymerization using mixed fluorinated and non‑fluorinated monomers. When 2‑(perfluorohexyl)ethyl acrylate (FEA) and stearyl acrylate (SA) were applied at 0.1 mol/L, X‑ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that surface fluorine content decreased from 37.7% for FEA alone to 35.5% (5:1), 28.3% (7:3), 16.7% (1:1), 3.8% (3:7), and 1.3% (1:5), reaching 0% for SA. Increasing SA also reduced the static dodecane contact angle from 94° to nearly 0°, whereas the FEA/SA (5:1) composition exhibited the lowest sliding angle (37.4°), demonstrating enhanced oil repellency. After 10 washing cycles, the dodecane contact angle decreased from 94° to 65° for FEA and from 75° to 68° for FEA/SA (5:1), confirming improved durability.