Chemical and physical changes in surface of Argon plasma treated cotton fabrics

Abstract

Hydrophilic cotton fabrics were exposed by low-pressure DC glow discharge plasma in argon atmosphere. The influence of different operating parameters such as treatment time, discharge potential, and operating pressure on the chemical and physical properties of the cotton fabrics is studied. Surface analysis and characterization of the plasma-treated cotton fabrics is performed using vertical wicking experiments, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and weight loss measurements. The cotton fabrics show a significant increase in wicking behavior, an effect that increases with increasing treatment time. Results also show that low-pressure DC glow treatment leads to surface attrition of the cellulose fibers, accompanied by an incorporation of oxygen-containing groups (C–O, C=O, O–C–O, and O–C=O) on the cotton fibers.

Keywords:

• glow discharge
• graycotton
• wicking
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• process parameters

Keywords:

• PACs codes
• 52.77.Bn
• 52.80.Vp
• 81.05.Lg
• 81.65.Cf
• 81.65.Ps

Acknowledgement

S. Inbakumar would like to thank the Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT) – Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium for providing a SEM and XPS analysis.