Supporting Information

Cotton Fabric Functionalized with a β-Cyclodextrin Polymer Captures Organic Pollutants

from Contaminated Air and Water

Diego M. Alzate-Sánchez,1,3 Brian J. Smith,2 Alaaeddin Alsbaiee,2 Juan P. Hinestroza,3*

and William R. Dichtel1,2*

1
Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
E-mail: wdichtel@northwestern.edu
2
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University
Baker Laboratory, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
3
Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
E-mail: jh433@cornell.edu

Table of Contents
I. Additional Characterization

A. SEM Images S–2

B. XPS spectra S–3

C. Infrared spectra S–3

D. TGA analysis S-4

E. Tensile testing S-4

II. Additional calculations

A. Thermodynamic studies S–5

III. UV-Vis spectra

A. BPA experiments S–7

B. Styrene experiments S–9

C. Model compound experiments S–11

IV. References S–11

I. Additional Characterization
A. SEM Images

Figure S1. SEM images of (a) CD-TFP@cotton; and (b) Untreated cotton

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B. XPS survey

Figure S2. XPS survey of the fabrics.

C. Additional Infrared spectra

Figure S3. Infrared spectra of the monomers (TFP, β-CD; yellow and green,
respectively), isolated polymer (CD-TFP, grey), and cotton samples (untreated, red and
functionalized, blue).

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D. Additional TGA analysis

Figure S4. TGA analysis in air atmosphere of the fabrics.

Fabric N2 Air
CD-TFP@cotton 370.3±5.7 346.5±4.1
Untreated cotton 373.7±3.8 353.5±4.6
Table S1. Decomposition temperatures of CD-TFP@cotton and Untreated cotton
fabrics in nitrogen and air atmosphere.

E. Tensile testing

Fabric Failure strain Peak Strength Modulus

(mm/mm) (MPa) (MPa)
CD-TFP@cotton 0.105 ± 0.009 25.2 ± 1.7 286.5 ± 4.3
Untreated cotton 0.087 ± 0.001 35.7 ± 2.1 599.4 ± 19.9
Reacted cotton 0.140 ± 0.013 35.3 ± 2.0 431.1 ± 51.3
Table S2. Tensile testing of CD-TFP@cotton, Untreated cotton and a cotton fabric
subjected to the same reaction conditions but without TFP (Reacted cotton).

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II. Additional calculations
Thermodynamic studies: The Langmuir and Freundlich models were selected to study
the thermodynamic adsorption of BPA in the fabrics.[S1]
The Langmuir model, which treats the material as having a homogeneous adsorption
surface, is given in linear form as
1 1 1 1
= × +
𝑞𝑒 𝑞𝑚𝑎𝑥,𝑒 𝑘𝑐 𝐶𝑒 𝑞𝑚𝑎𝑥,𝑒

Where 𝑞𝑒 (mg BPA/g fabric) is the amount of BPA adsorbed per gram of fabric at

equilibrium. 𝑞𝑚𝑎𝑥,𝑒 (mg BPA/g fabric) is the maximum adsorption capacity of adsorbent

at equilibrium, 𝑘𝑐 (mol-1) is the equilibrium constant and 𝐶𝑒 (mM) is the concentration at

equilibrium

.
Figure S5. Langmuir isotherm graphs for (a) CD-TFP@cotton, and (b) untreated cotton.

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The Freundlich model, which is used for heterogeneous adsorption surfaces without a
saturation of adsorption sites, is expressed in the following linear form:

Where 𝑞𝑒 (mg BPA/g fabric) is the amount of BPA adsorbed per gram of fabric at

equilibrium. 𝐶𝑒 (mM) is the concentration at equilibrium. 𝑛𝐹 is the Freundlich constant

associated to the degree of system heterogeneity. 𝐾𝐹 ((mg g-1)(L mmol-1)nF) is a unit

capacity coefficient.

Figure S6. Freundlich isotherm graphs for (a) CD-TFP@cotton, and (b) untreated
cotton.

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 Model Fabric qmax,e kc KF nF R2
-1 -1 -1
(mg g ) (mol ) ((mg g )(L
mmol-1)nF)
Langmuir CD- 16.5 4.7 0.975
TFP@cotton
Untreated 0.9 6.5 0.691
cotton
Freundlich CD- 12.0 1.67 0.900
TFP@cotton
Untreated 1.0 0.57 0.838
cotton
Table S3. Thermodynamic calculations result of the CD-TFP@cotton and the untreated
cotton.

III. UV-Vis spectra

A. BPA experiments

Figure S7. UV-Vis spectra of BPA remained in the solution after the removal of the
pollutant by the fabrics as a function of time of (a) CD-TFP@cotton and (b) untreated
cotton. The trace labeled “Stock” corresponds to the initial concentration of the solution.
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Figure S8. UV-Vis spectra of BPA that remained in the solution after the removal of the
pollutant by the fabrics as a function of initial BPA concentration: (a) 0.1 mM; (b) 0.125
mM; (c) 0.25 mM; (d) 0.5 mM; (e) 1 mM. The trace labeled “Stock” corresponds to the
initial concentration of the solution.

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B. Styrene experiments

Figure S9. UV-Vis spectra of styrene extracted from the fabric samples in the high-
concentration vapor phase experiments. The times listed for each spectrum indicate the
contact time of the fabric with styrene vapor, with increased contact times generally
resulting in increased signal intensity in this experiment. (a) CD-TFP@cotton; (b)
untreated cotton; (c) commercial fabric #1; (d) commercial fabric #2; (e) commercial
fabric #3.

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Figure S10. UV-Vis spectra of styrene extracted from the fabric samples in the low-
concentration vapor phase experiments. The times listed indicate the contact time of the
fabric with styrene vapor, such that increased styrene uptake is observed for the CD-
TFP@cotton (a) over 10 minutes of contact time. In contrast, unmodified cotton (b)
shows little to no specific styrene uptake under similar conditions. The trace labeled
“maximum” corresponds to the response expected that would correspond to 100%
adsorption of styrene under the experimental conditions.

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C. Model compound experiments

Figure S11. UV-Vis spectra of (a) aniline; (b) benzaldehyde; and (c) styrene, extracted
at 10 min contact time from each fabric sample in the gas model compound
experiments. The CD-TFP@cotton fabric sequesters larger amounts of each compound
than untreated cotton and the commercial odor-controlling fabrics.

IV. References

[S1] F. Zhao, E. Repo, Y. Meng, X. Wang, D. Yin, M. Sillanpää, J. Colloid Interface

Sci., 2016, 465, 215.

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