Synthesis and Application of a Novel Perfluorooctylated Citric Acid

A novel perfluorooctylated citric acid was synthesized successfully via allylation of triethyl citrate followed by perfluorooctylation, reduction and hydrolysis. The fabrics treated with this compound showed good oil repellent and moderate water repellent properties; the oil repellent rating and the water repellent score were 6 and 80 respectively. Even after 10 washing cycles, the repellent properties were kept at the same level. The finished fabrics also showed some wrinkle-resistant properties, and the dry wrinkle recovery angle was increased by 53°compared with untreated fabrics. The critical surface energy of the treated fabric surface was 20±1 mN/m. This multifunctional compound also showed good water solubility, which would be beneficial for the environmental protection.