Non Aqueous Treatment of Fabrics Utilizing Plasmas

Abstract

The contents of this paper present information from work conducted by utilizing plasma technology for fabric treatment. Initially, experimentation was done in low-pressure plasma systems to change the hydrophilic properties of denim fabric. From these experiments, data was collected that proved denim fabric, both sized and desized, could obtain hydrophobicity through a fluorocarbon plasma treatment. Using C3F6 fluorocarbon gas provided a greater level of hydrophobicity than using CF4 plasma gas. The desized denim showed a greater amount of hydrophobicity, in both gases, than the sized denim. These results can be found in chapter IV. The remaining work, found in chapters II and III, focuses on the utilization of atmospheric plasmas on the treatment of nylon 6,6 fabric. Atmospheric plasmas could allow continuous treatment of fabric and shorter treatment times for fabric, all of which would be better suited for industrial processing, more specifically in textiles. Nylon 6,6 fabric was treated with air-He plasma as well as air-He-O2 plasma, where the levels of O2 varied. A significant decrease in tensile strength was found in treatments lasting five minutes or longer. However, micrographs of the fiber surface illustrate instances of surface treatment, even at times less than five minutes. Continuing work on the project includes the building of a prototype machine for industry (currently in progress), the treatment of many different kinds of fabrics, and the evaluation of their mechanical, chemical, and physical properties and functionability thereafter.