Recent progress in durable and self-healing super-nonwettable fabrics

Considerable interest has been devoted to the development of super-nonwettable (SNW) fabrics owing to their novel functions and enormous potential for applications in diverse fields. The key to practical applications of super-nonwettable fabrics is durability against various damages. Novel strategies have been developed to improve the durability of SNW fabrics. To mimic regeneration ability of natural SNW surfaces, self-healing is introduced. This review summarizes the recent research progress in super-nonwettable fabrics. It summarizes commonly used SNW properties including superhydrophobic–superoleophilic, superhydrophobic–superoleophobic (i.e., superamphiphobic), superoleophobic–superhydrophilic, and underwater superoleophobic fabrics. Strategies to fabricate durable SNW coatings on fabrics are discussed. Special attention is paid toward self-healing SNW fabrics. A perspective on the future development in this field is also provided.